


The Hawk's Eyes

by createdtowrite



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Body Dysphoria, Butterfly Effect, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Isekai, Metafiction, Modern Character in Thedas, Modern Girl in Thedas, Mystery, Romance is Secondary to Plot, Slow Build, Slow Burn, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, Tropes, Unapologetic Power Fantasy, Worldbuilding, plot over romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:01:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 89,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26660323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/createdtowrite/pseuds/createdtowrite
Summary: She was given a second chance at life after an accident took away her first.She was given the body of one meant to die.Now, she takes on a new name, discovers new abilities and must use what was given to navigate a dangerous world she only knew as fantasy.[Tags will change as the story progresses.][Updates every 2 weeks. Next update on March 15, 2021.]
Relationships: Alistair/Female Cousland (Dragon Age), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Zevran Arainai/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 254
Kudos: 192





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> [Note updated as of February 16, 2021] Another MGiT/MCiT for the pile. Not going to make any claims for it but let the work speak for itself. However, fully disclosing that I'm doing this as a writing challenge for myself to see what I can do with it and how I can make sense of the genre.
> 
> Tags and rating will change according to the story flow. I'm discovering what'll happen as you guys will, though I have a general idea of the overarching theme and certain plot points. I don't know if anyone will see it coming but I'm going to be very happy if people figure it out.
> 
> I will write at a steady pace, so I'm sticking to a regular release schedule of a chapter every 2 weeks so I can keep my buffer active. Expected date of next chapter's release will be at the end of the latest chapter posted. I will inform readers if I will need a break or will be extending the deadline for whatever reason.
> 
> This will be a series with the current plan of 4 books (one per game), and some companion fics along the way. I already have a couple in the works for additional flavor and enjoyment. I _am_ determined to finish this long fic and the other stories, but will need to wait for DA4 to fully do so.
> 
> Credit reel:  
> Original isekai idea from my good friend, Mordy. Without him, the spark wouldn't have been lit. XD  
> Beta reading and edits by my SO and love of my life, Mr. Created. :3  
> DA fandom friendship and parallel progress author friend in MirrorDaltokki. XD
> 
> I own nothing from Dragon Age and I only own my OCs. Please enjoy!

It was a beautiful day outside in the bustling city. The sun was shining overhead with a few sparse clouds drifting across the sky. The birds chirped and sang their songs to each other, playfully and with joy. People exchanged pleasant smiles and greetings, with some being generally friendly with each other…

…and she zoomed passed them all, unable to stop and admire the beautiful day.

“Excuse me!”

Because she was late.

“Hey!! Watch where—”

“Sorry!!”

Very late.

She mentally cursed sleeping through her _five_ alarms as she casually speed vaulted over a barrier fence to the amazement of some passersby and frantically broke out in another run. Her strides grew longer as she dashed to the general direction of the park where she knew her friends would be at, likely already practicing for their skit. She cursed again in her mind as she mapped the route she would run through. Or more like _fly_ through, at the speed she was going.

“Pardon me!” she said as she easily hopped on a concrete stair railing that was at least a foot wide and slid down, startling a couple walking arm-in-arm down the stairs. As she reached the end of the railing, she jumped off and landed gracefully on the grass before breaking out in a run again.

Between curses, she thanked her older brother for being the utter persistent pest and influence that he was in teaching her parkour. Granted that it began with her ‘brother idolization’ complex when she was young, but at least she learned from a professional stunt man than getting it off Youtube videos with no supervision or correction.

Now, her training was doing her well as she ran like a madman through the streets to catch up to her friends at their practice for an Assassin’s Creed stunt show at an upcoming convention.

And she just _had_ to be late.

She exhaled in exasperation as she skidded to round a corner and finally saw the park. Not slowing down, she could see the forms of her friends flipping around and mock fighting with practiced ease at the far end of the park. Her feet carried her through the sidewalk at full speed, crossing one final crosswalk to the park…

…and she heard a loud, deafening horn and the screech of tires before the impact.

The last thing she heard was a woman’s scream as the world faded to black.

* * *

_Pain. Pressure. Drowning. Floating._

_Peace. Silence. Floating. Quiet._

_There was nothing. There was nothing. There was nothing but peace._

_Drifting. Flying. Nothingness._

_Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing._

_Nothing_

_Until_

_There was something_

_There. Something. Something there. Something was_ there.

_Then, came the light. The warmth from it was foreign against her skin. The green hue a stark contrast against the white or black of the world known in the moment._

_Then there was the_ pull _—_

Pain. The first thing that she registered was pain. It was a persistent and intense pain that coursed through her whole body. She gasped as she moved to sit up, only to be met with more pain at the sudden motion. Her arm hugged her torso for support but doubling over only made it worse. She gritted her teeth and took a deep breath, slowly straightening. Something hit her. Car. Truck. Unsure. For now, hospital. She had to get to a hospital.

But it was then that she noticed the ground. It wasn’t the familiar concrete and markings of the crosswalk that she was expecting – it was rock and dirt of unfamiliar terrain in red and black, with some patches of her blood. Her gaze slowly moved higher as she scanned her surroundings. Where she expected a park with her friends and buildings, she saw jagged black rocks, bare blackened trees and thorny plants protruding from the ground in the distance. The sky wasn’t its beautiful blue; instead, it was covered in dense clouds with a gray fog through the land, as ash fell from the sky. There were no birds. There was no animal life she could identify. No chattering of civilians that were going to call emergency services to report an accident. The only sounds that echoed were the roars of battle, screams in the distance.

She was in the middle of a war zone of some kind.

Her eyes frantically scanned the area again, her mind loud with the feeling of déjà vu.

Where had she—

A roar startled her out of her thoughts where it sounded too close for comfort. The sound of a large creature’s trudging footsteps was getting louder, followed by the pattering of multiple other creatures. Survival instincts kicked in as she attempted to move but the pain surged through her body as she staggered. She took a deep breath and pushed herself to stand, unsteady on her feet. She couldn’t run. She couldn’t fight. The only course of action was to hide and hope for the best. Her eyes quickly scanned the area for her options and landed on a large tree with some thorny plants at its base. If she positioned herself well enough, she could hide between them and _pray_ that it’d be enough of a barrier to deter whatever creature was there from grabbing at her.

Slowly but surely, she limped towards the targeted area, careful to favor whichever leg didn’t feel like it was broken. She bit her lip to muffle any sounds of pain that threatened to escape her mouth, avoiding alerting anything around of her position. The hobbling was slow and painful, but eventually, she carefully positioned herself between the tree and thorns, in time for the creatures to arrive.

Hideous was be the first word she’d use to describe them. The large creature was a horned monster with green and yellow skin, in a loin cloth and minimal leather armor. Though ugly, she didn’t doubt that he could easily kill her or tear her body apart with a flick of his wrist. The smaller creatures though were no less terrifying. They reminded her of skeletons, but they had sort-of skin but no lips, a disgusting face that made her rethink if it had any skin and armored for mobility with weapons attached to the end of its arms.

Her eyes widened, both in horror and realization.

They were familiar. She knew them.

Ogre and Hurlocks. Darkspawn.

 _Darkspawn_.

She knew them from _Dragon Age_.

She wanted to scream but couldn’t. She opted instead to take a deep breath in frustration and hysteria, hand clamped over her mouth and pain continuing to rack her body. Her mind raced as she tried—and was utterly _failing—_ from panicking, taking multiple but quiet deep breaths. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. She read enough fanfiction to know that Modern Character in Thedas is a fucking _trope_ , not an extra dimensional occurrence that actually _happened_ to people _._ She recalled how she got here for any indicator or sign of how it could’ve happened but the only memory she had was darkness and sounds of—then realization hit again and the urge to scream returned. She bit on her hand to ground herself. The truck. The _fucking TRUCK._ It was a situation ripped right out of an _isekai._ But _isekai_ situations were confined to anime and manga. It was supposed to be _fantasy_. This was _not possible_. This _couldn’t_ be happening. She closed her eyes and slowly released the breath she held, shuddering with how overwhelmed she was by the disorienting facts, the fear for her life and the pain. Tears prickled at the edge of her eyes as she tried to steady herself.

She couldn’t afford to panic. It wasn’t like the stories where she was dropped in the middle of Kirkwall or Haven or basically _any place_ where people could immediately take care of her. She had to be careful if she wanted to survive. She forced a physical gulp to swallow her mental panic as she heard movement nearby. Slowly, she chanced a look at the darkspawn, taking the tiniest peek from her hiding place – in time to see the ogre roar and run off into the distance and she jumped a little in response. The hurlocks took a moment to glance around with one’s gaze _almost_ reaching her hiding spot but – thank whatever deity out there – the creature stopped, and the group ran off in another direction instead.

She waited a few moments to listen, checking if anything else was nearby. Upon hearing nothing more, she took the opportunity to prop herself up on the tree with a whimper of pain, holding her torso and looking down to inspect the damage done to her body…

…to notice then that she wasn’t wearing what she thought she should’ve been. She expected she would be in the clothes she was wearing when she died (?) as the stories usually went. Instead, she was in a completely different outfit. Red scarf around the neck, off-shoulder low-cut white tunic, chainmail from the waist, leather belts around the hips, gray breeches and brown boots. A _familiar_ outfit. Then the other details came in. That wasn’t her skin. That wasn’t her hair. Her figure wasn’t—

Her eyes widened in realization.

She was...

Her head swam with dizziness, mental exhaustion finally overwhelming her. Her legs felt weak and body finally gave into the pain as she pitched forward. Her mind only vaguely registered what may have been a voice in the distance.

“Bethany…” she whispered in a voice not her own, but a voice that confirmed her suspicions.

She was in the body of Bethany Hawke.


	2. Chapter 2

_“I’m going to miss you. Please…be back soon. I’ll be waiting.”_

Pain. The first thing that she registered was pain. Or at least, how much duller the pain was by comparison to the last time she woke up in pain. Her gaze met a dull bare ceiling with light pouring through the right side of the room. The air mildly smelled of dirt but was lighter and fresher than she expected. However, there was the distinct lack of any scent of alcohol or disinfectant to indicate she was in a hospital.

She cursed softly as she tried to sit up, slowly and deliberately, while taking in the rest of the room. It was obviously meant to be a simple guest room with the presence of a bed, chair, table and wardrobe while being devoid of any personal fixtures that showed that someone lived in it. Although she wished otherwise, any lingering doubts she had for her circumstances being a dream were dashed, when she also noted that there were no lighting fixtures or electrical appliances, and no adjoining bathroom, only a small pot in the corner. She shuddered at the thought of having to use it but…

…this was her life now.

She was living a _fucking_ _trope_ crossed over with _another fucking_ _trope_.

The reality of it felt heavy and made her a little nauseous. She groaned, resting the forehead on palm in frustration and instantly flinched at the voice she heard. That wasn’t her voice.

Right.

She was now Bethany Hawke. Or rather, she was now in the _body_ of Bethany Hawke. She noted that her consciousness still seemed to be her own though. Upon recalling the information about herself, she remembered her mother, father and brother. She remembered her friends and how they were supposed to meet for practice. She remembered her parkour training. She remembered being in her final year for her psychology degree. She remembered how to dress-up for her cosplays and transform into someone else. She remembered games, online videos, anime and manga including her recent playthrough of the Dragon Age trilogy and Assassin’s Creed games. She still had memories of her previous…world? Or was it life? She didn’t know what kind of _isekai_ this was, and she didn’t know if there would be any convenient plot points to help her figure it out. She felt the onset of nausea again with this line of thinking but took a deep breath into her palm.

Once grounded, she retracted a hand to examine it. It was full of unfamiliar marks and cuts that she could only assume were from Bethany’s training with her father growing up. She turned it over, opening and closing fingers into a fist numerous times. She knew she was doing it, but it felt foreign. Not necessarily wrong but foreign. She looked down at the body, or what she could see of it. Gone was the outfit from the beginning of the game with Bethany’s death and instead, she wore a simple tunic. She felt physically weaker than she was accustomed to, but then again, she had spent years of her life training her body to withstand the effort that came with free running when Bethany had none of it with her training in the magical arts.

She softly cursed as frustration gnawed at her. Her advantage in this world nullified because she wasn’t in her own skin. She gritted teeth in frustration, the emotional bubble held within her threatening to burst. But then she took a deep breath with hand meeting forehead, anchoring herself again. She didn’t have time for an emotional outburst. She could deal with it later – preferably under the cover of night when she would be undisturbed.

For now, she had to know the current situation. She knew that Lothering was overrun by darkspawn given Bethany’s state. But for anything prior to her death—

Her mind reeled, feeling a power surge forth. Moving picture after moving picture ran through her mind’s eye, almost like a video reel in fast forward but somehow, she processed them in an instant and recognized that they were memories. _Bethany’s_ memories. From playing with her brothers to spending time with her mother to the training with their father to the insecurities of being the weakest in the family to the panic of leaving Lothering to the last thoughts before her death—It was overwhelming. But it didn’t stop until the last memory passed.

She gasped, hand moving to clutch the head. When had— How had—

The door opening broke her thought process. Her gaze moved to the door as panic set in. She completely forgot the fact that if she was in a guest room, it meant that this was someone’s home.

Before any questions could form in her mind, an old woman stepped through the door with a smile. She was the epitome of the ‘kind old lady’ if she had ever seen one. She didn’t radiate the air of wisdom that Wynne had or the intimidating power that Flemeth did, but her demeanor screamed ‘care and gentleness’ though in the flavor of Fereldan practical simplicity. The woman’s eyes brightened at the sight of her awake as she started speaking in a language that she couldn’t understand.

She bit back a sob as her heart sank. _Of course_ , the language isn’t the same.

She smiled weakly as the woman continued to speak, trying to hold back any tears from forming as she felt the emotional bubble within her threatening to break. She turned her gaze away as the old woman’s eyes showed concern and she moved to her bedside. Desperation sang through her mind with a wish to understand the woman, to be able to speak to her, to be able to communicate with her, to breakdown that language barrier, or _anything_ , as she felt the light touch of the woman’s hand on a hand.

Her mind reeled again with the surge of power. Information flooded into her like a dam breaking. Letters and numbers she didn’t recognize, words she wasn’t familiar with, phrasing, sentences, slang—

“—hurt, dear?” she heard the woman say, concern very evident in her voice as she took a hand in her wrinkly ones. “Do you need medicine for the pain?”

Eyes flitted to the old woman as her words suddenly started to make sense. The tears fell at that point, relief flooding her system and drowning out all other emotions.

“No, I’m sorry for worrying you,” she replied in Common with a small hiccup and trying not to stutter and finding the information on the language now present in her mind. She wiped the tears away with the other hand, squeezed the old woman’s hand and gave her a grateful smile. “It’s—I’m sorry. I’m just really overwhelmed, I’m sorry.”

The old woman gave her a gentle smile, patting a hand. “You’ve been through quite the ordeal, dear. You’re lucky Alder was—”

Another voice called from the door. “Dahlia! Is she awake?”

The old woman turned to the door as the figure of a younger man opened the door to peek inside. As a stark contrast to the old woman, he seemed to be a fighter in his prime but radiated cheer and friendliness in his easy smile. His appearance was the picture of a warrior in a way reminiscent of how she recalled Hawke from Dragon Age II with the musculature, armor and weaponry attached to his belt and on his back, but with short, shaggy brown hair and a slight tan that she assumed was from him being outdoors often.

He brightened at the sight of her awake. “Finally!” he said with a smile as he moved into the room beside Dahlia. “We were worried you wouldn’t wake with how you slept like the dead.”

“Alder!”

“Well, she _isn’t_ dead, now is she? I can say it,” he argued, meeting Dahlia’s disapproving frown head-on. He turned to face the bed’s occupant. “Though it _was_ touch-and-go for a while there. You’re lucky we were in the area when you fell, though won’t lie — it was Dahlia’s urging that saved you.”

She gave a weak chuckle at Alder’s words to hide her shiver at the thought of how close she was to death. He was certainly very frank but seemed to be an interesting person. “Regardless of whose effort it was, I thank you both for saving me. I don’t really know how to repay you for your kindness.”

“You can start with your name,” said Alder with a grin. “We can’t call you ‘girl’ or ‘she’ or ‘her’ forever.”

Dahlia swatted him at that point and Alder winced, though it looked to be more in surprise than it was in pain.

“Enough with your rudeness, son,” Dahlia said with a stern look to him, before giving her an apologetic smile. “I apologize for Alder here. You know how mercenaries are and he can be a bit of a brute.” The old woman’s smile softened. “But I would like to know your name, dear. It’s only polite, you know.”

“I…” She hesitated. Saying her name from before this ‘situation’ didn’t feel right. She wasn’t who she used to be anymore. She didn’t know if she could claim it still. Saying “Bethany Hawke” didn’t feel right either. She wasn’t Bethany and she didn’t want to assume her identity and parade around as the younger Hawke. She laughed bitterly at the identity crisis. Head lowered in sadness as she answered honestly in a soft voice. “As I am now, I don’t have a name.”

Alder’s eyes widened then narrowed in suspicion then darted to Dahlia in question. She expected the same reaction of suspicion from Dahlia, but the old woman kept her smile, though colored with a touch of sadness.

“Your eyes say that there’s a story there. A sad one at that.” A hand placed on chin raised her gaze to find Dahlia’s gentle smile. “But I won’t pry. We all have our stories, after all.” Dahlia’s hand lowered back to the lap. “Then allow me to change the question. What name may I call you, dear?”

She thought for a moment. One name clicked in her mind.

“Iris.”

Dahlia’s smile turned happy. “It’s nice to meet you, Iris.”

Iris then spent the rest of the afternoon with the pair as they informed her of current events and regaled her with stories of their life. Though Alder seemed initially put-off by her lack of a name and hesitation in sharing any information about herself, he warmed up to her again as Dahlia did.

She first learned that it was the 29th day Guardian, 9:30 Dragon and the damage of the Battle of Ostagar was still fresh. Ferelden lost its king and the darkspawn had taken Lothering. Dahlia and Alder were in the small town on business when the wave came in. They were lucky to have a cart and strong horses, so they were able to outrun the darkspawn and made it to safety. Currently, they were staying in Redcliffe with Dahlia’s niece who runs a local soup kitchen and would stay until the roads were safer for travel again. The knights of Redcliffe were already off looking for the Urn of Sacred Ashes. Iris was a little sad that she was too late to help the man – if she could’ve even done so.

She then learned that Dahlia was a travelling merchant by trade who had a penchant for picking up ‘strays’ of all kinds, as Alder worded it. However, of her many ‘children’ – as Dahlia would call them – only Alder stayed with her as the rest scattered through Thedas to find their place in the world. She has kept in contact with them through letters and she spoke of them with great warmth and care that made Iris smile.

Alder, in the meantime, was a mercenary by trade though he doubled as Dahlia’s bodyguard during her travels and to assure that the ‘strays’ she picked up wouldn’t hurt her. He took many small jobs that were close to any area Dahlia stayed in to earn what he could for their small family. Iris could tell from the way he spoke that he was fiercely protective of the old woman as he considered her his ‘mother’ and savior, though he didn’t provide details for what she saved him from. Iris didn’t pry though. They didn’t ask her for more information than she was willing to give, and she paid them the same respect. She did open up enough to share a few stories of her brother and how they spent time together though. She expressed wanting to train again once she was better and Alder agreed to show her the best spots to run once she could and promised to find a weapon that would suit her as he found her lack of training in _any_ weapon disconcerting.

Afternoon turned into evening and after she was given a simple dinner of a comforting soup and bread, she was left alone to rest. Or so she was _supposed_ to rest.

But sadly, sleep was evasive as being alone left her with her thoughts. Her overwhelming, crushing thoughts of her life no longer being as it was. Arms carefully hugged knees, blanket on the lap. Eyes stared out the window at one of the moons and many stars in the sky. Too many for her world of pollution and modernity.

The observation opened the flood gates.

She died. She _died_. She will never see her world again. She will never see her friends or family again. She was brought to another world – an _unforgiving_ world – that she only knew from video games. A part of her wanted to hope, wish, pray that this was a dream, or she was in a coma or there was some chance to return – maybe there was a way for magic to do that? After all, they had time travel for one of the routes in Inquisition so maybe? Maybe?

She swallowed as she willed herself to be grounded in the reality before her. Her gaze locked on the moon as the wave of sadness hit her.

She could hope. But the thought of hope…

The thought of hoping that much only to be disappointed was…

She gave a shuddering sigh and she finally allowed herself to cry. The emotions hit. The tears flowed. She buried the face into arms to quiet herself, as the body powered through her pain and wracked with sobs. She was wetting the blanket, but she knew that Dahlia would forgive her for it. She knew the old woman would understand her needing to mourn, though she may never know the reason why. But that didn’t matter.

In that moment, all that mattered was her crying for all she had lost.

She cried well into the night. She cried until she had no more tears left to shed, laying down and numbly staring at the ceiling. She let the body exhaust itself with the weight of her emotions that she slipped into sleep unnoticed.


	3. Chapter 3

_“I’m sorry.”_

Iris felt the first rays of the morning waking her. Taking in a breath, she said a small wish of wanting to see a hospital room when the eyes opened. Instead, she saw the same bare ceiling. She let out a shuddering sigh as she lifted an arm to drape over tired eyes, pain and disappointment singing through the body.

She was tired. She was tired of wishing, tired of hoping, tired of not being back in her world, tired of feeling trapped in a body that wasn’t hers, tired of being in a world she didn’t want to be in. She was also tired of despair, tired of not moving, tired of feeling sorry for herself, tired of being _tired_ and… She sighed again. She was tired of waking up in pain.

She lifted the arm to look at a hand, almost wishing that the body could heal itself faster and—A thought hit her.

This was Bethany Hawke’s body.

Bethany Hawke, apostate mage.

Mage. Magic. _Healing_ magic.

She sat up too quickly in excitement that the pain shot through her again, making her wince and impulsively hold a side. Right, she was still injured but hopefully not for much longer. After all, if she was technically Bethany Hawke, that meant that she could technically use magic, right? And Bethany had the aptitude for healing magic so she _should_ be able to use it, right? Right? She searched Bethany’s memories and found a couple with her father teaching a younger Bethany how to heal. She recalled the steps on how to perform it, the failed attempts and the successes as if they were her own, though it also felt like looking through an immersive first-person VR game with the addition of the character’s emotions in the moment.

So, she had the steps on how to do it, but did she have the capability to do so? That would require being connected to the Fade as per the rules of the world. Did she have it? Iris had only one way to find out. Guided by Bethany’s memories, she closed the eyes then blindly felt around her mind for any indication of the connection to the Fade. Minutes passed and nothing. She stubbornly continued, concentrating harder. She didn’t think it would be easy. After all, she didn’t recall having any dreams in the Fade last night but—

There. _There_. There was…something. A presence and power within her. They were…faint. Weak. But steady. It also didn’t feel like she owned the power as it was connected to the presence, but it was _there_ and undoubtedly felt like the same energy that Bethany used in her memories _._ But there was also…something else. Now that she was looking, there was another power within her. It felt similar as a type of energy, but it was distinctly different from the energy from the Fade. It was also much more solid – stronger and warmer. She felt comfortable with it and it felt…familiar…

It felt…like the power she used yesterday.

Iris opened the eyes and breathed. Then she looked at a hand in consideration.

Based on this discovery, she had two distinct powers within her and had no idea how to use either of them properly. She could not risk finding a teacher as it meant a one-way ticket to the Circle of Magi, so it meant she would need to experiment to learn and use them. However, the world viewed magic harshly and there was a huge risk of getting caught by templars and being sent to a tower anyway. Not to mention putting Dahlia and Alder in danger for housing an apostate.

But then again…she needed to try. She _needed_ to experiment. She needed to understand what she had. She needed something – _anything_ – in her arsenal so that she wouldn’t feel so helpless and stuck. If this worked, she would have magic _and_ her running back.

Solidifying her resolve, Iris replayed the memory of the successful attempt at the healing spell over and over in her mind. When she was sure that she could vaguely replicate the steps, she looked at a hand and concentrated.

At first, there was nothing. Then came the warmth of power building in the hand. Then the faint blue glow around the hand and fingers. She brought the hand to the body and touched the sternum, allowing the power to flow into the body.

Immediately, the pain lessened, and a warmth filled the body. As more time passed, the body felt lighter. She kept the flow steady even as she felt something – mana? – draining from within. The more she drained, the more she felt a vague tiredness creep in, but she didn’t stop. She kept the power flowing until the mana reserves ran dry.

She looked the hand then lifted each arm to inspect them. She repeated the process with each leg and moved to the torso by slowly twisting the body from side to side. There was still pain in the torso, but it was less than what she woke up with. Arms and legs were still pained and limited in range and movement, but nothing was too painful anymore that she couldn’t move them.

She smiled. It had worked.

She tried to mentally probe at the mana reserves, finding it on the fourth try. It was recovering but at a slow rate. It would be a while before she could do that again, but it was fine. What was important was that she had made progress.

Her smile grew as she couldn’t hold back her giddiness. She had used magic. _Magic_. That was one thing she could be happy about.

On the high from her success, she then thought about her second power. It wasn’t anything she could immediately recall from the games, so this was an unknown variable. She wasn’t sure if this was an _isekai_ rule or trope or something, but this was what she was dealt, and she was determined to use it to her advantage. Iris tried to recall the moments when it activated but they initially seemed random to her. For the first instance, she was thinking about wanting to know more about her situation before Lothering fell and was trying not to panic. For the second instance, she was desperately wishing that she could understand Dahlia and it activated when the old woman touched an arm. Not seeing a connection, she thought about it more and tried to break it down.

What did they have in common?

The only answer she arrived at were two factors: a thought of wanting to know something and a touch. And the result of the power activating was getting exactly the information she wanted. It seemed simple. But could it be _that_ simple? The only way for her to verify was to test it. Now how could she do so?

Her thoughts were cut by a knock on the door. It creaked as Alder stepped in with a bowl in one hand, bottle in another and a smile on his face.

“Morning,” he said as his eyes gave her a cursory glance, checking the body’s physical condition. “You’re looking better today. Much less pale and not looking like you’re about to fall over at any moment.”

Iris chuckled as she sat up properly and fixed the blanket on a lap, smiling at the familiar sight of porridge. “Well, I certainly _feel_ better today, thank you.”

“Here.” Alder handed her the bottle first. “Healer says the medicine should help hasten your recovery,” he explained as she popped open the cork to sniff the contents, then laughed when she wrinkled the nose. “I know, horrible, right? It doesn’t taste any better. That’s why Dahlia sent a bowl of honey porridge to wash it down.”

“Must I?”

Alder answered with a grin and wave of his hand. “One swig should do. Sooner you get it down, sooner it’ll be over.”

Iris groaned before warily eyeing the bottle. She glanced back at Alder, but he only had an expectant grin which she took as a sign that he wouldn’t budge on the issue. She took a breath to steel her resolve and drank it. The first taste that hit was grass. Then a great bitterness. Then a hint of flowers and earthiness. And…sourness? Smokiness? Then bitterness again. She made a disgusted sound as she immediately reached for the bowl of porridge and wolfed down several bites. The sweetness and cream did wonders to wash out the taste.

She then sighed in contentment, giving Alder a grateful smile. “Thank you. Really. Both of you must allow me to make it up to you somehow.”

Alder shrugged. “Not how she works, not how I work.”

Iris stood firm. “But I insist. At least allow me to help around the house when I’m well enough to walk.”

He scratched his head and smirked. “Stubborn, aren’t you? Well, if you must. You have a month to think about what to do by the healer’s estimates. It’d be faster with magic but…” She did her best to keep the body still at the mention of magic, as he waved his hand dismissively. “…as you know.”

She looked at the bowl of porridge cradled between both hands.

A month. Much shorter than if she was recovering in her world but not as short as she hoped. Given that Lothering had fallen, that meant other disastrous events would follow or were already happening. And with them in Redcliffe village and the Arl already poisoned, she couldn’t afford to stay bedridden for that long with the undead coming in after Connor’s possession. At least, if it came to pass. That strengthened her resolve to use healing magic on herself despite the risks.

She considered her knowledge. She knew what was going to happen in the game in broad strokes, but what did that mean in this situation? Was her knowledge accurate? Could she rely on it? Should she tell anyone about it, or would it be too big of a risk? Her mind called forth the Dragon Age: Origins timeline and the numerous quests that the Warden would be on…and she hated that she knew so much about their story but knew so little about the finer details in the actual events for it to be useful to her as a bystander. Even if she _could_ warn anyone, giving a vague warning of what “could” happen was on them if they’d believe her or think her crazy. She needed proof or credibility or _something_. But that was easier said than done. It was also uncertain if events would even play out as she knew them. By the events that were happening at the moment, it was likely they would, but the game also wasn’t clear on the timeline for someone who might be _in_ it. Even the path that the Warden could take was varied and uncertain so any insight she might have was useless until she could be sure that events would play out exactly as they would be in the game.

As things stood, there were too many options, too many variables, too many things to consider and too many uncertainties. If she could just narrow them down _somehow_.

A hand waving in front of the face brought her out of her reverie.

“Thinking hard?” Alder said with a smirk. “Don’t crush the bowl now. Dahlia likes that one.”

Iris flushed as she lessened the grip strength on the bowl. “I’m sorry, I was lost in my thoughts there.”

“Yeah? Thoughts must be important if made you to look so _serious_ ,” he said teasing the last word, leaning back on his chair. The unspoken question wasn’t lost on her.

Iris hesitated, eyes flitting away from Alder. How much could she say? What could she tell him? Could she trust him? They seemed like genuinely good people but…The uncertainty of the situation made her sick.

She took a breath. “Alder…what do you know about magic?” she tentatively asked, opting for an exploratory question.

His gaze on her remained steady, but then showed seriousness and steel. “Enough to know when you’ve used it to heal yourself.”

Iris’ heart sank as she looked at Alder in fear. That answer was a confrontation that was far more than she bargained for. A single word slipped out in a whisper.

“…how?”

“You’re not the first apostate we’ve had to house,” he said casually but eyes remaining serious. “And I could sense it as you cast.”

Sense it. He could _sense_ it. “Are you a templar?”

Alder smirked. “Was. In a way.”

A thought came to mind at the non-answer and his ability that she was certain regular templars didn’t have. “Were you a Seeker of Truth?”

Alder’s smirk widened and showed his amusement. “You’re a sharp one. And quite knowledgeable.”

Iris chose to ignore the unspoken question of her knowledge’s source for an unspoken question of her own. “I didn’t think they’d allow a Seeker to leave the order.” Cassandra was able to in Inquisition, but those circumstances were different.

“Could say I was a special case.” She waited for him to elaborate but he gave nothing more. That was…fair.

She sighed and looked at her porridge in defeat. “…so, what happens now? Are you going to take me to the Circle then?” Eyes met his. “Though I suppose if you were, we wouldn’t be speaking like this.”

“No, we wouldn’t,” he said with a lighter amused smile. “In all honesty, I hold no favorable feelings towards the Circle of Magi or Templar Order, so never considered it an option. You haven’t attempted to harm us and were careless about using your magic...” Iris flushed. “…but have only used it to heal yourself. It means you aren’t practiced or are trustworthy. Regardless, we're not about to abandon you in this state.” He leaned forward. “But my priority is my safety and Dahlia’s. So I'll ask that you only use magic when I’m here to watch you. I’m not certain how good your training was but rather not take chances.”

Iris relaxed upon hearing his terms. “That’s fair, I suppose. I can understand the need for guaranteeing safety. Though being under scrutiny is…”

“Consider that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks,” Alder argued. “Your road to recovery will be brought forward now. If my guess is right by the power you’ve shown, you should be able to walk by the week’s end.”

Iris brightened at the information. “Good. I don’t know if I could handle staying still for a month. Or any more of that medicine.”

Alder laughed. “You’ll still need it for the week. Wouldn’t want people getting suspicious of your miraculous healing without it.” His face turned neutral again. “Now that that’s out in the open, are you hiding any _more_ secrets?”

Iris gave a weak chuckle. “Aren’t we all?”

“True. But I’m speaking of any you’d be willing to share for trust. Showing what you can from your hand, as it were. Won’t push but would like to know where you stand and where _we_ stand with _you_.”

She considered her options. He was an ex-Seeker, trained in the art of disabling mages, and he caught her using magic already. She could hide her other ability, but she didn’t know what good that would do. On the other hand, it may be harmful to share it, but it was such a wildcard that she didn’t know which option would be smarter. And if Alder caught her again when she had this chance to explain…She pushed away the thought. She didn’t want to antagonize the only two people in this world who were nice to her. But given that she already used it twice yesterday…shouldn’t he have known?

Brow furrowed in confusion, considering the information.

“Wait…” She raised her gaze to meet his. “Was this the first time you’ve sensed me using magic?”

Alder nodded as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “First and only. Why?”

Iris grew troubled and unsure of how to proceed. She then decided to go back to the beginning. “How much do you know about magic?”

“More than I’d like, but enough to find, catch, counter and read mages.”

“What kind of mages?”

“All sorts,” he said shrugging. “Can’t say any more though. Secret Seeker business and all.”

“Then with your…experience,” she asked cautiously, looking away to consider the conversation direction she wanted to take. “Have you ever heard of a mage who can gather information from people?”

His expression turned serious. “Meaning?”

“I…” she hesitated. But no turning back now. Taking a breath, she took the plunge to explain. “It seems I can use an unheard-of magic. I don’t know how I got it and I don’t know how to use it properly. I only know that I have it and have used it twice on accident.”

“How?”

She needed to word this carefully. “I couldn’t remember what happened before Lothering fell and used it impulsively on myself to recall while panicked. It _forced_ me to remember. For the second time…I used it on Dahlia.” Alder visibly stiffened. “I didn’t know Common but gained the knowledge when she touched me.” She looked him straight in the eyes. “But I swear it was unintentional and I didn’t mean any harm. I honestly don’t think she felt anything or noticed.”

Alder paused. His eyes seemed to look past Iris, but his expression stayed serious as he considered the information.

“Pushing aside strangeness of not knowing _Common_ …” Alder said as Iris shifted uncomfortably and hoped she didn’t dig herself into a pit. “…it’s odd. Very odd. Hadn’t sensed anything at all yesterday.”

His gaze flitted back to her. “Show me.”

“How? I’ve never willingly used it before.”

“Then you’ll try now. Use it on me.”

Eyes widened in surprise. “Are you certain?”

“Best way to learn is to try. And would like to know what you did to Dahlia, especially if there was any damage done.” His gaze was both steel and reassuring. “Remember, I’m trained to fight mages. I _can_ stop you.”

Iris still looked at him with uncertainty. “If you’re sure.”

Though if she was honest with herself, Iris had to admit that Alder _was_ the perfect test subject. This chance was better than she could hope for.

“I want to be clear on what information I’ll be pulling from you though,” Iris said as Alder moved closer. “I wouldn’t want to retrieve anything personal that might trouble you or me.”

“Keep it simple. The layout of the house,” he said immediately, holding out a hand for her to touch. “We brought you here unconscious and you haven’t left the room, so there’s no chance for you to know unless this magic works.”

Iris looked at his hand and gave him a weak smile. “Last chance to back out?”

Alder only rolled his eyes and kept his hand out. Iris reached out and gave it the lightest touch, willing herself to pull the information of the house’s layout from his mind—

And a power surged forth. Pictures flew by in her mind’s eye of the various items within the home. Kitchen, utensils, ingredients, supplies, Dahlia’s bedroom with her bed, wardrobe, desk with letters, parchment and ink, and memorabilia of her husband’s, the guest room with Iris’ unconscious body within, Alder’s bedroom with his bed, cache of weapons, locket with his sister’s photo, Dahlia’s niece’s room that she hardly ever used, storage…

She pulled away after she felt that she retrieved what she needed and looked at Alder to find him observing her.

“Your eyes flash silver for a moment there,” he stated, withdrawing his hand. “Never seen that before. Eyes aside, sensed nothing and felt nothing.”

Iris was unsure of how to feel. Alder was a Seeker with some unique ability to detect magic and yet he couldn’t sense her. “Does that— _Can_ that happen?”

“If it worked, then evidently, yes. First for me, but have never known magic to _always_ follow rules, even its own.” He straightened. “Now, a test.” He crossed his arms in front of his chest. “What’s on the first floor?”

Iris pulled forth the memories, looking somewhere past Alder in concentration. “Front entrance, dining area, kitchen with a hearth—”

“Those are obvious. Give me something more telling.”

Iris searched through the memories, slowly playing them in her mind for more details. “Front entrance has a creaky door that Dahlia’s been wanting you to fix for the past month. The kitchen is Dahlia’s sanctuary. She keeps all items in a particular way – herbs drying above the fireplace, pots and pans under the main table for easy reach, and ingredients always on the left side of the table. No one touches the wine in the shelf of the dining area as it’s a keepsake from her late husband.” Iris gave him a teasing smile at a certain memory. “She had to change the hiding place of the pastries twice since you’ve taken them before they were ready to serve, and you haven’t found the recent one.”

“Maker’s breath,” Alder breathed, face showcasing a mix of awe, fear and uncertainty. “You weren’t lying.”

“I have no reason to,” Iris said softly, stirring at her cold porridge. “And I admit I thought you’d be furious with me if you found out about this later.”

Alder frowned. “Would’ve, yes. But you’ve been honest, so only fair to treat you the same courtesy.” He stood from his chair and smirked. “And may have had an idea for a way you can repay us.” Iris sent a questioning gaze his way, but he only moved to the door. “For now, get some rest. You’ll need it for your mana and to heal naturally. Once you’re a bit better, _then_ we can talk.”

Iris nodded as he stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him. As the door closed, she let out a sigh as she set to finish the remaining porridge, hoping that she made the right decision.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: mental health issues, panic attack, body dysphoria, passing mentions of self-harm

_“Do you like your gift?”_

_“You’ll get used to it again.”_

It would be a while before Alder would speak of her magic again. In fact, a couple days would pass without the topic coming up at all. But Iris didn’t spend the days idle.

Some of the time, she would spend it with Dahlia. When the old woman wasn’t writing letters that Iris assumed were business correspondences or letters to her children, she seemed to genuinely enjoy Iris’ company. They would bond over warm, hearty meals that Dahlia insisted Iris eat to help her recover and fuss over her when she attempted to stand. Iris wouldn’t argue the points too much – though she would insist on being allowed to stretch in bed and around the room by the second day to start on light body conditioning. She had a long way to go to return to peak physical form from bed rest and the unpracticed state of the body and resented the body’s state among other things. But she would proceed with what was given. After all, it wasn’t like she could do anything about it except move forward. But fussing aside, Dahlia was a breath of fresh air to Iris. The warmth in an unfamiliar world was very much welcome.

For other times when she was alone, Iris found herself in a cycle of healing and waiting for mana to recover, casting multiple times within the day until she could feel a weight of tiredness through the body. She wouldn’t push too far to completely exhaustion though. She didn’t want to tax herself _too_ much to make it counter-productive. For the first few times she did so, Alder was nearby watching her as promised. After several cycles, he deemed that her magic was stable enough to use without fear of possession – something about her connection to the Fade feeling too weak to attract a demon – and would leave her be to work on other things. She gathered that this was his way of showing he trusted her, and she greatly appreciated it. He would still return from time to time to check-in on her, but it felt more like the checks of a pesky over-protective older brother than a guard.

In-between and following these cycles, she would probe and prod her unique power to gain a better understanding of it. These pokes were mostly in the form of unpracticed exploratory meditation, given her agreement with Alder. At first, she felt incredibly silly and self-conscious. But as the practice seemed to work in increasing her familiarity with the energy, it became worthwhile. Now she understood why stories and movies pushed for it so much. Though she was stumbling through the process, it was proving strangely insightful as she learned two useful facts about the power.

First, the power was controlled by her will. While Bethany’s magic needed energy pulled from the Fade and coaxed into the required form, her unique power was easier to pull – though from an unknown source that she couldn’t guess or trace – and it responded easily to her will. She coaxed, bent, moved, divided, pulled and molded it in many ways in her mind, but it always followed accordingly. She didn’t know what she could really do with it yet, but she felt reassured that what she seemed to own was much easier to manage.

Second, the ability for her to glean information had rules to it, which she found out by testing on inanimate objects. The first of these tests was, as usual, done completely on accident.

Iris was nibbling on a sweet pastry Dahlia had given her and was innocently curious of the recipe. She genuinely thought that trying it on a non-living thing wouldn’t work, but as the power surged forth and a list of steps and ingredients filled her mind, it awakened a drive to experiment on items around the room so she could progress with understanding the power.

She would apologize to Alder later. Maybe. Or argue for it since her caressing a pastry wasn’t really hurting anyone.

Since then, she had tried it on a few other items and found the rules as she went. It seemed that if she didn’t have a question to answer, it would give her general information on what she touched. If she had a specific question she wanted answered or had specific information she wanted to know, she could target and retrieve it. She could use the ability on a target multiple times and in rapid succession, but it would drain the power reserves within her. In contrast to the Fade magic, this power had a larger mana reserve, but it was also slower to recover. Could she speed up its recovery through lyrium? She played with the idea but decided that wonder would be for another day, _if_ she could get her hands on it.

Iris smiled, looking at the information she collected in her mind. Even if finding out how a bowl was made wasn’t the best use of her abilities, she still deemed it productive.

On the morning of the third day, Alder stepped in with her breakfast and more of the foul medication. He laughed at the glare she gave the bottle but handed over the items anyway.

“Morning,” he said with a playful smirk as Iris uncorked the medicine bottle. “This feels familiar. Though I take it you’re feeling better than before?”

Iris quickly took one mouthful of the medicine and quickly chased it with her breakfast. She made a face in disgust before answering. “Yes, though I can’t say I feel better about the medicine.” Alder only laughed and Iris gave him a smile as she settled. “Your estimate of the week’s end seems about right at the rate I’m healing. I should be able to walk without pain soon. A full recovery shouldn’t be too far off.”

Alder nodded in approval. “Good. Because I’d like to test your abilities as soon as possible.”

Iris blinked in surprise with a utensil in hand. “You’re supportive of me using my magic then?”

He crossed his arms. “Despite having worked for the Chantry, I don’t share their views. Magic is a tool as any other. Under the right care, it _can_ be of use. We’ve watched you for several days and you don’t seem to be in any danger of possession with your weaker connection to the Fade. Your other magic seems undetectable, doesn’t affect the target and is _very_ useful. It’d be a waste not to use it or seek its full potential.”

“Under supervised testing, I’m guessing?”

Alder smiled. “Right you are. First, I’d like to know its limitations. Wouldn’t want to find you can’t use it when it’s needed most.”

Iris nodded in agreement. “True. I will admit that I’ve done some tests on objects in this room in my own time – yes, I’m sorry I broke my word, but I had good reason. _Please_ don’t give me that look. I was in bed _all day_ and had to do _something_ while bored,” she argued at his frown. He waved her off in reluctant acceptance. “While it has been productive, it’s also limiting. I would need better test subjects to explore this more.”

Alder smirked. “Well, we _are_ in a village.”

Iris tensed and gave him a troubled smile. “I was afraid you’d suggest that.”

“You know intelligence gathering would the best use of your skills,” he reasoned against her discomfort. “Although I’d hate it used on the unsuspecting, you need the practice.”

She still felt uneasy but sighed, relenting to the facts though her mind processed other thoughts. “…I know.” Eyes met his. “I’ll have to get used to it, won’t I?”

He gave her a sympathetic smile. “Unfortunately.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his legs. “We’ll also be checking if you can do any more with your magic. Gleaning information is already quite the advantage, but we need to be aware of your full skills. For that, we’ll test it in the forest.”

The forest meant away from people, and away from people meant no one could see and find them out. Reasonable. Iris nodded in agreement. “When do we start?”

“As soon as you can walk. Or as soon as I convince Dahlia to stop fussing,” he said with a smile. “So, get to healing, little mage.”

She returned his smile with genuine fondness.

* * *

_“You were always good with it.”_

_“I’m glad you’re better.”_

It would be another two days before Iris could finally step out of the house and see Redcliffe village for herself. Her physical healing progress was steady as she continued her daily healing cycles. But after the conversation with Alder, her mental state was a different story.

It had always been a different story.

Ever since she opened her eyes that first day, she did her best to ignore the unease in her day to day life. She really did.

But it was getting…harder.

She felt it at the back of her mind, ever present and steady.

Now, it was growing stronger at the idea of going in public for the first time as she was.

In the body.

 _The_ body. Not _her_ body.

It isn’t hers. It was never hers, she never considered it hers. _It_ _never will be hers_.

Every day, she pushed herself to move forward, attempting to pretend it wasn’t there and focused on healing and magic and discoveries and everything else but _that feeling_ , but the weight of unease was there and growing.

Not heavy yet, but _there_.

The awareness of it caused a dull ache in her heart. And at that day’s end while she lay in bed with nothing else but her thoughts, it seemed to only grow worse.

So, she changed tactics and spent what time she could spare in her routine to mentally prepare herself for stepping out and managing the unease. This was easier said than done. After all, it was one thing to learn about psychological issues and another to _have_ them. Especially when the cause of it was so…unusual.

At first, she tried to reason with herself. Dahlia and Alder knew what she – no, _the body_ – looked like and she was fine with them. Wasn’t she? Iris squirmed at the existence of the question. No, that wasn’t right. Iris recognized that their knowing was out of necessity and the decision was taken from her. If she was honest, being “fine” with them was more because they made her feel comfortable. Dahlia was warmth and acceptance, and Alder was reasonable, though suspicious. They knew her as the “Iris” that she wanted them to know – looking beyond the physical and knowing that she was more a mess of complex circumstances though they wouldn’t know the full extent. She couldn’t say the same for others.

By human nature, others would see her appearance first and see Bethany. They would see her as “Iris” associated with Bethany’s body. “Iris” who borrowed Bethany’s body. A body that still felt foreign after _days_ , but she swallowed the feeling everyday as it was a necessary tool for her survival, and she _had to_ —

She stopped herself there and breathed.

As her mind tried to calm, she vaguely wondered for a moment if anything in her past could’ve prepared her for this…but then scoffed as she recalled the happy-go-lucky _isekai_ she read with characters’ waking up in a villainess’ body. Oh, how naïve. But she supposed she couldn’t expect anything different. After all, the authors couldn’t very well give the characters this feeling in such lighthearted stories, now could they?

The feelings that ran through her as she considered the issue grew more complex that she had to stop herself completely. She was overthinking on a matter that couldn’t be resolved overnight. She _should_ stop for now as it may be more damaging than helpful, feeling herself at the precipice of a spiral she didn’t want to go down.

She took in a calming breath. New plan.

She could still handle it without it interfering with her daily life, so it should be fine for the time being. She had to focus on more productive things since it didn’t seem like it would be fixed anytime soon without a game plan. Or therapy, but she didn’t have access to that any longer. So, she resolved to figure out a solution later. For now, she changed course and pushed the unease aside to seek comforts and healthy coping mechanisms, with the promise that she would revisit this later.

Thankfully, Dahlia provided some very welcome distractions as the woman _finally_ allowed her out of bed to stretch the legs past the room, on the condition that Iris would delay her exploring town one more day and take it easy. It initially felt strange to explore the house in person after seeing it from Alder’s memories, but the sight of Dahlia lightly whapping Alder’s hand with her wooden spoon as he tried to sneak a bite of stew shook her out of the strangeness quickly.

The day was then spent leisurely as Iris familiarized herself with the home. She insisted on helping Dahlia cook lunch and dinner so she could learn more about Fereldan cooking. Dahlia was happy to teach her recipe for lamb and pea stew – “The secret is browning the lamb before adding the other ingredients in batches. Never believe those old men who say you throw it all in a pot and go. That’s soldier idiocy!” – and promised to show her the trick to a good turnip and mutton pie another day. It was enjoyable to cook with the old woman – it reminded her of helping her mother during the holidays back on Earth.

When the day of the town visit finally arrived, Alder and Iris set out at dawn at Iris’ request to see the town without interfering with its residents. Or so she said. The early hours also meant that it would be easier to test her powers on isolated groups or individuals as only few local trades woke with the dawn.

Initially, Iris was genuinely excited to try her abilities on live targets and see how subtle she could be with her touches.

However, the unease returned with a vengeance at the back of her mind. She did her best to ignore it, but the more she did, the more she became aware of what was around her.

As the minutes wore on, the unease came to the forefront and stayed as she became painfully aware of the people around her.

When they walked past, she could feel their eyes on her. She knew they weren’t judging her. She knew they were only curious about a new face walking alongside Alder. But the thought of their eyes on her and seeing…

Her thoughts were interrupted as a man approached Alder. If Iris had to guess, the man must’ve been a woodcutter, by the looks of his axe and vague scent of hard work and trees.

“Morning Alder,” he said cheerfully. “You’re up early today.”

Alder walked up to the man with a grin. “Just showing Dahlia’s latest stray around town.”

The woodcutter laughed. “Another one, eh? Wasn’t the last one an elf? I can never understand the woman picking up stragglers. It’ll get her killed one day.” At the corner of an eye, she noticed Alder shrugged, but then she zeroed in on the man’s eyes as they turned to Iris.

She felt the weight of his gaze. A physical weight. Time seemed to slow for her for that moment as he looked at her from head to toe. She could almost feel where the eyes looked that she had to resist squirming. It wasn’t with a leer. It wasn’t perverse. She knew it wasn’t with any ill-intent. She knew he was just looking at her. But she felt…uncomfortable. She didn’t want him to see—

“Oh, she’s a pretty one,” he complimented with a bright tone. “I’m guessing…Ferelden? Or perhaps a Marcher?”

The words hit her hard. Pretty. Fereldan or Marcher. Statement and assumptions based on the features of the body. Features of the body that she was in. Features of a body she didn’t belong in. Features of Bethany Hawke’s body. Features that _belonged to Bethany Hawke, not her_. Features that weren’t _hers_.

Iris’ heart sank. Harmless words that were everything she feared. Everything she didn’t want to be. They didn’t see her. They saw her _as_ Bethany. They saw _Bethany_. They saw the person whose body she borrowed. They saw the person whose life she stole—

She only vaguely registered the conversation continuing as the man joked. “You sure she’s Dahlia’s stray and not yours?”

“Fuck off, you old sod,” Alder said with a smile. “Don’t even joke.” It was only met with more laughter.

She felt the weight of a gaze on the form again and resisted the urge to squirm. “And what’s your name then?”

Iris felt the tongue paralyzed in the mouth, the urge to fight in her heart.

She was Iris. But this body wasn’t Iris. Bethany wasn’t Iris. Iris wasn’t Bethany. She didn’t want people to associate the two. She didn’t want anyone to know this body as Iris. She didn’t want Iris to be associated with a body she borrowed. She—

She didn’t realize that her panic caused a silence to lapse. The lack of an answer apparently prompted the man moved closer to her – the gaze was heavier; she could _feel_ it – and his eyes were in her field of view. “What, mabari caught your tongue?”

Iris flinched, taking a step back on impulse.

Alder had apparently taken it as a sign to step between them. “Sorry, she’s still overwhelmed. Not used to people.” Before the man could say any more, Alder took an arm – she resisted recoiling from his touch – and guided her back to the direction of home. “We’ll be on our way.”

They spent a good while in silence as Alder steered her away, careful to keep her out of view of anyone else that they may encounter. Head lowered and eyes focusing on each step, she wondered how much Alder knew…

They stopped within a comfortable range of the house and he pulled her aside. His eyes held confusion but were gentler than she’d ever seen. “What happened?”

A wave of shame hit Iris, the embarrassment of the situation finally cutting through the numbness caused by her thoughts. She had a panic attack because she was a person from another world borrowing a game character’s body. It made her feel disgusting for people to see the character because she could feel the difference, wrongness and guilt crawling on her being for the reminder of what she is. How could she explain something like that?

So, she stayed silent, hoping that it could be left at that. But Alder wouldn’t.

“Iris,” he said gently. “Talk to me.”

The concern in his voice cracked at the armor. His patience at waiting for her answer chipped away at each piece until she answered, softly. “…it’s…a personal matter. I’d rather not say.”

She wondered if that would drive him away. Hearing his sigh almost made her think it would. But his tone stayed the same. “Alright. I don’t need to know why, but at least let me know if I can help.”

That she could answer. “As a start…I need a way to cover my face.”

“Your face?”

Hands clenched. Voice softer than before. “…I don’t want people to see. I _can’t_ let them see me like this. Please.”

Alder’s face then bore a troubled expression, but the concern was still there. He seemed most worried by it sounding like a plea – like a cry for help and he wanted to make it better, but he knew he couldn’t. After a moment of silence, he sighed. “I won’t claim to understand, but I won’t pry. Looks to be a touchy matter for you to be so…shaken.” Iris chuckled weakly. If only he knew.

He moved to guide her home but hesitated, giving her one last appraising look. She guessed that he hoped to see something new, but she didn’t give him anything else. When he became aware of this, he forced himself to move. “Let’s go home then. I’m sure Dahlia would have something from her mercenary days that should serve.”

Iris nodded in response, relief starting to replace the unease and tension in her. The remaining walk back was in comfortable – _safe_ – silence.

Dahlia was in the kitchen area when they returned but seemed unsurprised to see them. Eyes met Alder’s in gentle question, and he waved his hand in a gesture to Iris. Iris lowered the head, shame hitting her again. This was making a mess of things. Why was this an issue? She should be stronger than this. She should be—

Dahlia’s hand took a hand in her own. Iris’ gaze lifted. Eyes met the old woman’s understanding ones. “I thought this might happen,” she said as she guided Iris to settle at the table. “You weren’t very subtle, you know.” She chuckled lightly. “I may be old, dear, but my eyes can see when one of mine are troubled.”

Iris warmed at her words. ‘One of mine’. She already considered her one of her charges. Though all things considered, Iris shouldn’t have found that a surprise.

“You remember Ianthe? One of my older girls?”

Ianthe. One of Dahlia’s first children. Dalish elf, though didn’t like the culture. Runaway. Loved Dahlia’s pastries, but who didn’t? Didn’t like to wash much but loved to take morning walks with Dahlia. Currently in Orlais, based on Dahlia’s last letter from her.

Iris gave a small nod and Dahlia continued. “Bleeding when I found her. I cared for her enough for the physical pain to fade, but her mind was a different story.” Her smile softened. “She hated the Dalish and their ways. Never learned why but didn’t need to. Her story, you know. Oh, she was a strong girl who wanted much more from life than what her clan gave. But having the Vallasin limited what she could do. She grew to resent it. Hate it. Then she hated herself. And that hatred grew enough to harm.”

Hand clenched. It was a tale familiar to her with her studies and Iris detested that she may be walking down the same road.

Dahlia gently coaxed her to relax. “I saw shades of it with you, dear. You're very much alike in her earlier days.” She gestured to an item on the table. “That’s why I prepared this.”

Iris raised her gaze to look at the table. Eyes widened at the sight of a black cowl.

“It was hers,” Dahlia explained. “One of the first gifts I gave her. She cried so much when she saw it. Wore it every day since. It made it easier to deal with the world until she was better and saw herself beyond the markings.” The old woman took the cowl and handed it to Iris. “I kept it in case someone else might need it. And I’m sure she’d love for you to have it.”

Iris gingerly took the cowl in the hands. The fabric was of high quality and sturdy make. Soft enough from being worn so often but it was obviously cared for. It included a fastening to assure it would stay in place as she moved, and it had fabric to cover over the face. It was perfect.

“You aren’t running away,” Dahlia said gently. “You’re managing at your own pace. We all have our problems. I know you’ll face yours.” Eyes caught Alder nodding in agreement with a smile that mimicked Dahlia’s.

“You…both of you…” Iris said softly as tears fell.

She could feel their gazes, but she only felt relieved when she realized that they didn’t feel heavy.

“Thank you.”

Iris took it easy after for the rest of the day that followed. Alder didn’t push her and allowed her the space to breathe. Dahlia did the same, though she also provided a few comfort snacks that Iris happily devoured from the safety of her room. She still engaged in her cycles of healing and resting, and meditation with exploring and examining the stronger presence and powers within her. But she didn’t pressure herself to do more than she could. Not that day, at least. She could go back to pushing tomorrow.

She kept the cowl within reach at all times. She tried it on and removed it again and again, feeling the comfort from having it over her face. It wasn’t a solution to her problems, and she acknowledged that fact…but it would do as a non-destructive coping mechanism until she could find a way round it.

That night, she fell into a comfortable sleep with the cowl in her arms.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: mention of sexual harassment

_“It’s okay.”_

Alder and Iris went to the village again the day after. This time, Alder was the one who suggested delaying, but Iris pushed the point. She couldn’t run away from stepping outside as it was a necessity. Encouraging fear was a contributing factor to why _hikikomori_ existed, and she didn’t want to fall into that trap. She didn’t explain this point in those terms, but she said enough for him to concede a visit to town come the afternoon.

When their time to leave came, Iris felt more comfortable as they walked down the main path. She was getting more wary stares because of the cowl, but those were easier to deal with now that the body’s face and hair were covered. She would prefer they remember her for her choice than a face that wasn’t hers. Alder hovered by her, his stance careful and ready to support. Iris appreciated his care but laughed in her mind as she was seeing that he could potentially be as fussy as Dahlia now. Ironic, given how much he complained.

She still felt raw from the mental blow the previous day but being outside and enjoying the sunshine and scenery was doing wonders for her disposition to take her mind off it. The lush greenery was more beautiful than Origins or Inquisition could depict. It made her smile to find the landscape design was true to expectation as a great location for parkour practice with the many natural ledges, rocks, soft grass and stable structures. Her mind shifted from taking in the sights to mentally mapping her route when she could run again. A vault over that rock, a front flip off that ledge into a roll on the grass… Oh, the ways she would fly again…

Alder’s demeanor finally relaxed when they reached the edge of what looked to be a small market. Iris blinked in surprise upon seeing it as it was a detail not present in the game. But then again, it would make sense to exist since any notable village would need a trade hub of sorts. It almost reminded her more of Whiterun in Skyrim with the multiple stalls and bustle of the few townsfolk about, voices gossiping, negotiating and chattering to give the space life.

“We’ll first be visiting the tailor to buy your new clothing. No complaints, Dahlia’s orders,” he explained as they walked to the general direction of where Iris assumed was their destination. “Then off to the forest for the trials of your arsenal and ending with an evening at the tavern.”

“The tavern?”

He grinned. “For business, not pleasure, little mage. Only place with many people at close quarters who’ll be too drunk notice your eyes changing. It’ll be a problem we’ll work on, but you can start by slowing your blinking or lowering your gaze to keep your eyes out of view.”

Ah. That made sense. “I’ll keep that in mind. Would that mean you have a training plan ready then?”

He threw her a wicked grin. “I may have a few ideas.”

Their walk to the tailor’s was spent with Alder regaling her with ideas of speculative information they could pull, useful and silly alike. The laughter rang through as they stepped through the doors of the shop.

The time spent clothes shopping was relaxed and without incident. Iris used her time to efficiently go through the wares and treated it more a quick trip to get exactly what was needed than a leisurely browsing of a boutique. She was thankful for her cosplayer background with clothing construction and fabric familiarity as it came in handy while perusing the items and ensuring they were durable enough to handle her at her most active.

Alder was pleasantly surprised and approving when Iris didn’t bother selecting items based on how they looked and went straight for dark clothing in sensible styles.

“Is that really so surprising?” Iris said as she picked up a gray tunic for closer inspection of the fabric. “I wouldn’t like to advantage of Dahlia’s generosity with pretty dresses or custom boots or anything. It would be such a waste.”

“Even when she’d _love_ to spoil you rotten?” he said with a smile as he leaned on the wall beside her.

“Especially so. How the nobility spend anywhere near these many coins on clothing is baffling.”

Alder glanced at the small pouch in hand as she added the tunic to the small pile she was amassing. He gave her a wry grin. “I’ve gone on many trips with her strays like this. Always thought the old woman loved the girls more. This confirms it.”

“She loves all of you equally and you know it,” Iris said as she recalled the woman’s stories of her children.

“Not according to the pouch in your hand.” He gave her a teasing smile. “Or she could _want_ to see you in a dress fit for a lady.”

Iris rolled her eyes. “I’m hardly a lady.”

Alder chuckled. “Could’ve fooled me with your manners.”

“Well, I’m not, you insufferable man,” Iris said with finality and a smile in the eyes. “And I wouldn’t want to dress to impress anyone, thank you very much.”

After all, there was no joy or vanity in dressing up the body that wasn’t hers and would never be hers. Preening herself would only lead to a daily reminder of her situation, and she couldn’t bear that. This mentality fed into her choices. She knew that while the clothing leaned into the practical, they also aided in covering her body so that her mind could instead imagine the features were the right ones.

At the end of Iris’ shopping efforts, they left the store with a small travel wardrobe of practical clothing in dark colors including shoes and more cowls, all of durable but comfortable make, and all chosen for mobility in mind. They then made a quick stop back to the house to drop off the items so that it wouldn’t hinder their trip to the forest. Dahlia greeted them with a smile from the dining table as she seemed to be poring over several letters and drafting replies. She chuckled upon checking the fruits of their labor and seeing the dark clothing and returned coin pouch, before gesturing to the counter where the snacks were. She seemed to have expected the choices made and Iris only gave her a sheepish smile through the mask as Alder laughed while he tore through a snack.

After the short break, the pair made their way out of the village to perform the tests for her powers. Alder brought Iris to a spot far off the path but with a view of it from a distance. The area was hidden by trees and foliage that one would have to go far out of their way to find them.

“Found it while hunting the other day,” Alder said as he stepped through. “Thought you could also use it for your running. You said you needed obstacles?” He gestured to the trees, rocks, natural ledges and soft grass. “Here you are.”

Iris laughed lightly beneath the mask, touched by his thoughtfulness. “You remembered.” She took a cursory look around and sighed in happiness. “This is perfect, thank you.”

“Not hard to keep it in mind. Besides, would like to see how you are at your best…” He gave a teasing smirk. “…and if you’re as good as you _claim_.”

“You’ll have to see for yourself then once I’m better,” she said, crossing the arms and matching his smile. “Preferably as you watch my back when I beat you in a race.”

“Is that a challenge, little mage?”

“That depends. Do you accept, Seeker?”

“When you’re better,” he said stepping to the center of the area. “For now, we test.”

Iris nodded in agreement and followed him to the center.

The next few hours were spent with Iris doing what she could with her magical energy and Alder watching over her in the event of any magical backlash. As Iris had already practiced with controlling the energy from her daily meditation, they could easily start the trials and exploration for what the magic could actually _do_ than work on her control. They tried to tackle it systematically as the ex-Seeker had a general idea of magical theory from his sporadic time in a Circle Tower. It wasn’t anything extensive and basically boiled down to a process similar to the scientific method from Iris’ previous world mixed with a lot of trial and error, but it gave them an idea of how to proceed.

The pair tried numerous creative uses of the power they could think of: confirming her information gathering ability again by willing the power to pull, doing the opposite and willing the power to be pushed into a target, manifesting the power separate from Iris herself, moving and shaping said manifested power and see what it could do, attacking with the power, defending with the power, surrounding herself with the power in an aura and surrounding another thing with the power. They avoided trying anything that would be too destructive or risky such as any large-scale effort that may be too big for her to control, or what Alder deemed as impossible such as pulling information on what did not exist or the future that has yet to come.

Each trial was done with the minimum amount of magic required to produce any desired effect but controlled to regulate Iris’ reserves for the day they still had. Additionally, Iris noted how much magic each ability used and how to dispel it, while Alder was more focused on any effects the energies had to the targets. Overall, their explorations of the unknown magic were as exhaustive as the untrained two could make it.

As the sun started to set by the session’s end, Alder pondered on their findings and appeared satisfied with the trials as Iris played with the small ball of physically manifested power that only she could see.

“So, we’ve learned two things,” Alder said conclusively, raising two fingers to emphasize his point.

Iris made an affirmative noise as the ball danced around in the air and she followed it with her gaze. “First, I can’t use my power to harm people _at all_.”

Try as they might to use it following any form of magical attack pattern that Alder or Bethany’s memories could supply, the energy did not allow itself to be molded or used in a way that could do damage. Even as she directly shot it at Alder, the energy stayed passively on his skin, making her aware of his presence and location but nothing else.

“A shame really. Would’ve thought it’d be used most to attack but, as usual, you defy expectations,” he said wryly. “It sadly limits your offensive options and makes your weapons training far more essential. Can’t have you unprotected, after all.”

“Or I can use traditional spells,” she suggested as she willed the power orb to stop overhead.

Alder shook his head in disagreement. “As a last resort. Your Fade magic’s weaker than other mages so you’d lose in a straight clash of power. Best to fight smart and use it as a distraction to make your escape.”

Iris made another affirmative noise in agreement. They tried to use magic from the Fade a few times that day as a comparison point but limited it due to her smaller mana reserves and maintaining the secrecy of their efforts. After all, a fireball in the forest would be too conspicuous no matter how hidden they were.

However, they found that while she could use Creation spells in glyphs and healing and some defensive Arcane spells fine, her power in the other schools was sorely lacking by comparison. Yes, she could still use a basic fire spell and basic ice spell, but she couldn’t use stronger damage spells or area of effect spells that Bethany had trained for with her father. She thought it meant the world operated on a spell tree system like in the game and she may have allocated points or was skilled enough to access the other spells, but that idea was thrown out when Alder seemed baffled by her limitation and stated that he had not seen something like it before. This meant it was something unique to her, which didn’t seem to surprise her anymore. Was it possibly the trade-off for her unique abilities? She didn’t know and couldn’t say for certain.

On the one hand, it meant that she wouldn’t likely be harming anyone or herself on accident with magic anytime soon, much to her relief.

On the other hand, she couldn’t use the cooler magic variants, much to her dismay.

In her mind, she sighed wistfully at the lost dream of being the badass DPS mage of her dreams as Alder continued the conclusions to summarize the day.

“Second, your abilities may potentially make you an excellent scout.”

Iris took it as her cue to activate one of her newfound abilities, making the eyes turn her iconic silver. Her vision shifted from seeing Alder to seeing the area around them with a full 360-degree awareness of her surroundings centered around the ball of energy she had been playing with. She willed the ball to circle around their training area and the ball moved at her command. If she was honest, it was almost like switching to 3rd person view on a video game and the experience with that switch made it easier to manage the movement. She resisted laughing at the comparison when she discovered though as the idea fit too well.

Iris closed the eyes to allow herself to get immersed into the view and feeling of flight without flying. It was still a strange feeling, she noted, but felt that with enough practice, she could get used to utilizing the “Eye”, as they called it.

This was one of the three new abilities they discovered for the afternoon and Iris’ current favorite. Alder pointed out earlier that it left her vulnerable if she had to send the Eye further out and wasn’t aware of what was directly around the body’s surroundings, so she had to rely on allies to watch her as she used it.

“Though not to forget tracker and infiltrator,” she added with a knowing and proud smile as she recalled the other two skills, head turning to Alder with eyes still closed.

He smirked. “We’ll work on stealth for that. As you are now, you’re as subtle as a charging druffalo.”

Iris deactivated the power with eyes returning to Bethany’s brown as she pouted. A laugh escaped them both a moment later when they noted the silliness of the gesture as it was covered by the mask on the face.

“One more to add to the training regimen then,” Iris said as she stretched. “All in all, I would say it was a productive afternoon.”

“No doubt,” Alder agreed as started to walk to leave the area. He grinned. “This calls for a drink!”

“What did you say earlier? ‘Business, not pleasure’, wasn’t it?”

“No one said business couldn’t be fun.”

Iris laughed. “Then lead on, oh wise one.”

He echoed her laughter as they made their way back to town.

* * *

The tavern was bustling that night in a way reminiscent of the bars back on her world. Alive with cheers, laughter and the occasional hooting, it was a refreshing sight of merriment in contrast to the calm seriousness of the day. She could see why people liked them. It provided a small refuge from the daily grind while having the opportunity to get inebriated with cheap alcohol in friendly company. Almost everyone knew each other within the walls as most customers were either residents of the village, soldiers from the local army or travelers who often came in for business. She noted anyone new would stand out, which is why she was doing her best to stay close to Alder and let his louder personality hide her in his shadow. After all, she had targets to take care of and had to stay as inconspicuous as possible.

Prior to their arrival, Alder briefed Iris on her objectives for the night where she would pull specific information from three pre-determined targets as both training and a test of her current skills. They both agreed on subtle physical signals to prompt when she would use her abilities and so that Alder would be aware and ready to support her as necessary. He insisted that she should stick close to him for the first few nights of this “training” to become familiar with the space and for people to lower their guards around her by her association to him. A part of her wondered though if it was also his protective nature talking for that last suggestion, but she let it slide.

Iris eyed the ale Alder handed to her warily then gave her companion a side glance. They were both retrieving drinks from the bar and the mercenary downed his third drink since they arrived like water as he chatted jovially with the bartender, Lloyd. Iris noted that Alder seemed to be as comfortable and confident in the tavern as he was with any of his weapons. And true enough to his word, most patrons did greet them with smiles as they walked through the door and the cautious stares were at a minimal when they realized that she was with him.

Her gaze moved to study the bartender as she tried to recall what his in-game avatar looked like. If she remembered correctly, the game’s depiction somewhat fit the version before her, though the living Lloyd had a more prominent beer belly and more color on his clothes.

Before she could scrutinize him further, Lloyd’s gaze shifted to land on her form without breaking the conversation with Alder. She wondered if he expected her to turn away, but she opted not to. Instead, she locked her gaze with his, indicating that she would not be cowed or judged.

As soon as the wonder came to mind for how long their staring contest would last, Lloyd broke away first and turned to her companion. “Friend of yours, Alder?”

Alder smiled as he glanced at Iris. “Newest addition to the family. Found her in Lothering.”

Iris nodded once in greeting and reached out an ungloved hand in an offer of a polite handshake. “My name is Iris, ser. Yours?”

He eyed her warily but reluctantly returned the handshake as she willed the information to her and slowly blinked—

And a power surged forth. Moving image ran through her mind of Lloyd leering at Bella as she walked through the far end of the tavern serving customers, an arm reaching out to casually brush by Bella’s hip, a pouch of coins that is much smaller than it should be is handed off Bella, hand moving up to pass close to Bella’s chest…

“Name’s Lloyd.” Grip on the handshake tightened the slightest before she casually released.

“Nice to meet you, Lloyd,” she said, keeping Bethany’s voice in an even tone. One target down.

It would be another few minutes of Lloyd chatting with Alder on news from the road for what may be stalling his supplies before they would leave for their table. Iris used the time to survey the tavern and noted the actions of her two other targets of the night, but made it appear as her casually watching the other patrons in their merriment.

The place itself was bigger than the game had made it seem as most tables could easily fit four people and the bigger tables could fit a group of eight. The ambiance with wood and candlelight was also cozy rather than the dreary she expected. Maybe the world was just happier compared to what the developers made. As eyes scanned the space in another passing glance, she resisted cursing under her breath when she spotted the retreating back of the dwarven target moving out the door with his men. She’d have to inform Alder that he would be for next time then.

When the conversation with Lloyd finished, Alder led her to a table by entrance beside the visiting elf, Berwick. She gave the elf a passing glance as she sat down, but nothing more to avoid raising suspicion. It was a shame, really. Her first time seeing an elf since her arrival in the world and yet she couldn’t really take a good look at him for rudeness and attracting unwanted attention. Oh well. Maybe she would have more luck later. It’d be wishful thinking to hope she would be able to meet and see Zevran up close, so perhaps one of the others. If Dahlia and Alder would leave for Denerim, she might be able to meet Shianni if she was lucky.

Alder regarded her again only when they sat down, side by side. “So?”

“Confirmed her story,” Iris said quietly, keeping her anger in check and eyes on the drink in hand.

Alder clicked his tongue before he took another swig of his drink. “Oh Lloyd, you fucking coward…” In contrast to Iris, he allowed the anger to freely bled into his words. “Will be having a word with him later.”

Iris nodded as she casually and quietly slid him her drink. “He seems…stubborn.”

He pushed it back to her as he gave her a playful smirk laced with edge. “Trust me, I can be _very_ convincing.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Iris said as she suppressed a shudder of fear and reluctantly took the drink.

The ale was a pale brown color and smelled vaguely of malt and grain. She eyed it and glanced up at Alder, meeting his expectant smile. She sighed and pulled her hood further over the face to act as a shield for those that may try to spy her appearance from the side.

Best get it over with then.

She pulled the face cover down and quickly took a big gulp. It tasted as it smelled with grain first and malt second, followed by a punch of sourness and a hint of sweetness. The alcohol content was nowhere near what she was recalled from her world for even their weakest beers.

“Not bad,” Iris commented as she casually placed the ale strategically off to the side beside Berwick’s tankard but kept an ungloved hand on the handle. She made a show of looking like she was studying it. “Though you know I have to keep my wits about me for my tasks.”

“No excuse of drunkenness?”

At the corner of an eye, she spotted Berwick reaching for his tankard and casually surveying the tavern by turning with his back to her. She gave Alder a quick glance and he answered with a deliberate blink, one of their unspoken and agreed-upon signals acknowledged. Quickly but casually, she positioned the hand where his fingers would brush the side of it, willed the information to her and blinked slowly—

And a power surged forth. Moments and memories flashed in her mind of a letter with the words clear of his assignment, the moment of his arrival into the village, the face of his contact and the pride in declaring how they worked for Rendan Howe, right hand man to Loghain, him interacting with villagers with the same excuse regarding his ‘brother’ over and over again, and the few days surveying the mayor’s home.

—then she pulled away to take another drink of the ale with a pleased smile.

“I don’t think I’ll need it,” Iris said sweetly, placing the face covering back on and passing the drink to Alder with finality.

Alder chuckled in amusement, taking the offered drink. “Better.” He downed her drink in a few gulps and licked his lips. “But don’t get cocky. Arrogance will cost you.”

Iris returned the laugh and placed elbows on the table. “Yes, ser.”

As the night went on, more comfortable moments passed with casual conversation between them. At times, Alder would bring her to another table to converse with other groups of townsfolk who would talk about their day and how they haven’t heard from the castle in a while or the slow trickle of knights that recently returned from the army’s search of the Urn of Sacred Ashes for Arl Eamon.

“Sending us chasing after a legend, I tell you!” one knight said with a gesture of his hands, spilling a bit of a nearby drink in the process. “We’re off chasing ghosts when Loghain gets the glory!”

“Arlessa’s desperate,” another man said, conspiratorially. If Iris recalled correctly, he was a farmer. “I hear the Arl’s on his deathbed and she’s called a blood mage to keep him alive.”

“Think it’s that tutor of Conner’s? Always thought him strange,” a third man pipped up.

“Nah, I seen Jowan. He’s not that sort. He’d sooner die from books falling atop him than have the stones to summon a demon.”

“What do you know? You a templar now?”

“We could ask our ex-templar now, couldn’t we?” the first knight said as he lifted a tankard at Alder’s direction. The mercenary simply chuckled and tipped his own stein in acknowledgement but provided nothing else to the discussion.

“Isn’t Jowan sweet on the Arlessa?”

“Oh, you listening to Valena now! Don’t let ol’ Owen hear that. You know how he gets.”

“Overprotective old sod is what he is. She deserves to be with a good man!” The soldier jutted a thumb towards himself with emphasis.

“Well, when you find one, let me know,” Alder quipped. “Should be sure to warn Owen to keep her away.”

The table rang out in laughter and even Iris was able to crack a laugh behind the mask. She repositioned the chin to rest on a hand with arms on the table beside Alder. It was almost a comfort to see that gossip was still gossip even in another world. But it felt even better to know that the information she was collecting was lining up with the knowledge from the game, although it seemed that word of what happened got around faster than she thought. At least she was fairly certain now that events would likely proceed as she knew.

It was…different to hear the context from those who were brushed off as NPCs when they were very much living, breathing people. As much as she tried to get by and see what she could do detached from the happenings…it was hard when they were real.

Her thoughts and their conversation were cut by the arrival of a familiar barmaid and her cheery smile.

“Alder! Haven’t seen you in a while,” she said as she walked up to the adjacent table of soldiers with two tankards in hand. She placed them down before walking straight to Alder.

“Bella!” the mercenary greeted with a charming smile in turn. “Lovely as ever.” Some men promptly hooted as he moved his chair closer to her at their table, with Iris mirroring his actions. “Meet Iris, Dahlia’s latest stray.”

Bella’s avatar was easier to recall as Iris remembered her as one of the funny opportunities for a romantic interaction as a male Warden, much to the disapproval of any other female companion in the party. She understood why now though as Bella was prettier than the game depicted though likely nowhere near as striking as Morrigan or Leliana. Her hair wasn’t notably as flat as the avatar and she was curvier in person.

Iris smiled at Bella with the eyes. “A pleasure to meet you.”

“Polite one, aren’t you?” Bella commented with a smile. “A touch secretive but I think I’m going to like you. We don’t get many with manners around here.”

“Considering present company,” Iris said, directing to the men behind her with the eyes. “I’d bet.”

That earned another laugh from Bella.

“So,” Alder said as he lifted his drink to his lips. “Any whispers around the tavern tonight?”

Bella’s glance flitted to Iris for a split second before she smiled at Alder. Iris blinked in confusion. Huh. Strange.

“Lots as of late with the Arl,” the barmaid said with a hand on her hip. “But would you fancy another drink?” She then leaned closer and dropped the volume of her voice. “Between us, Lloyd received a new shipment yesterday but he’s keeping a tight grip on the wares.”

“Cheap ass,” Alder commented and received a giggle in turn. “Anything local? Perhaps a barley wine from Denerim or a West Hill brandy?” He gestured to Iris. “She’ll have the same.”

That last line caused Bella to eye Iris again, although more slowly and deliberately as if to evaluate her. Iris blinked in confusion but unwaveringly watched the barmaid back. What was going on and what was she missing?

Bella broke the eye contact first with a smile thrown to Alder. “I’ll see if I can sneak something tonight and have it ready for you tomorrow. Come back then?”

He returned her smile. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

The three then chatted amicably between Bella serving tables and the pair served as her convenient excuse when some guests were particularly sleazy. Staring aside, Iris found that she liked Bella. The woman was expectedly and sadly stuck in unfortunate circumstances but had a good head on her shoulders. She wondered if there was a way to change the situation so that Bella ran the tavern even without the Warden’s help. Maybe she could amass some coin someday to buy the place and have her run it…

As time crawled by and the energy winded down, Alder made a show of stretching he reached the end of his drink – Iris had lost count for how many he had at that point. She stopped somewhere at the 8th tankard.

“Well, we’d best be going,” Alder said as he stood up from his seat, gesturing Iris to follow. Iris mirrored his actions and fell in step behind him as he dropped coins on the table for their drinks and bid the patrons a general good night.

Iris waited until they walked out of sight and earshot of the tavern before speaking.

“Is there something I should know, Seeker?” she said, eyeing him carefully.

His body language and face betrayed nothing as he simply smiled at her. “All in due time, little mage. You haven’t earned it yet.”

“Earned what exactly?”

His smile widened. “All in due time.”

Iris rolled the eyes as she gave up with the repetitive answer. It was clear that she wasn’t going to get anything out of him on what she’d witnessed with Bella even if it was obvious that he fully knew what she was talking about. She could always pull the information from him, but as they both seemed to trust each other, she couldn’t betray it. She also doubted that her skills were anywhere near good enough to pull one over on him without him noticing. Maybe revisiting her the next day would yield better results.

“But on to the final bit of business for the night…” Alder said as they continued their casual stroll. “Anything from the elf?”

Iris considered throwing his answer back to her. She really did, but as soon as she met Alder’s expectant gaze, she relented.

“Fine. He’s not here for his brother.”

It was his turn to roll his eyes. “Obviously.”

“Though he _is_ here to scout for Loghain.”

That caused Alder to falter in his step. Iris blinked in surprise.

“Oh?” She could hear more than see the grin on his face.

She dropped her voice to a quieter tone. “He’s been providing Rendon Howe information on the Arl and happenings in Redcliffe. Although, he hasn’t sent anything noteworthy since the Arl fell ill.”

“And would there be any proof of his allegiances?”

“Letters. He still has one on him.”

Iris immediately felt a hand meet the top of the head as Alder cackled in glee. Did he just…pat her?

“You are possibly the best of Dahlia’s strays yet, little mage.”

“…thank you? I think?”

Iris wasn’t sure if flushing out a small-time spy like Berwick warranted that praise and though she wanted to question it, Alder didn’t look like he was going to explain any further. Thus, Iris resolved to being left with the confusion for the rest of the walk home. She sighed and wondered how much longer she would be kept in the dark at this rate but chose to trust that it really would pay off in due time.

She hoped.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: passing mention of suicide

_“Working at your leisure. This is new.”_

_Laughter._

Iris slowly modified her routine to suit her newly acquired freedom. Mornings were still spent with the healing, meditation and body conditioning but as her physical health improved, she spent less and less time on healing to conserve energy and prevent fatigue. She estimated that she would only need a few more days of a lighter healing routine to ensure that the body returned to full health before she could start the harder physical conditioning for parkour, but she was already buzzing with anticipation. She _really_ wanted to run again.

The next two days were spent with more time out in the village with Dahlia and Alder. Dahlia commandeered her after her routine for trips to the market and, on one occasion, a trip to her niece’s soup kitchen for the Blight refugees. These times were educational in a different way as Iris learned that haggling for goods was possible with the right amount of rapport, many ingredients had an overlap with those found in her world but other herbs like elfroot were unique to Thedas with no straight comparison, and Fereldan cuisine was notably similar to English cuisine but with more batch cooking.

“It may be a large pot of stew, but there are steps to get the flavor right,” Dahlia informed as she plucked a large pumpkin from the top of a stack and handed it to Iris. The mage almost dropped it in surprise at the sudden weight, but steadied herself by lifting with her legs…

…only to have it casually plucked from the arms by a passing Alder. She gave him an unamused glare at his interference when she _did_ have it handled, and he returned it with a cheeky grin.

“Come, you two,” Dahlia said from a few feet ahead of them. “Don’t dawdle.”

“Coming!” they both said in unison and followed the old woman home.

In the late afternoons, Alder brought her out of the village and into their designated spot in the forest for training. They agreed that for the first few sessions, Iris would focus on the foundational training for a rogue and increasing proficiency with the powers she would use the most. This led Alder to the idea of a great practice exercise: hunting for wild game. It would be perfect for training in using the Eye in scouting and stealth basics without the aid of her powers while also being a practical lesson in a necessary life skill if she ever found herself on her own. As a bonus, if they were successful, it would mean a pleasant surprise that they could take home for Dahlia.

However, while Iris was passable when it came to applying subtlety in urban settings and crowds, she found that trying to be stealthy in the forest was a different skillset altogether. Locating the rams and rabbits were easy with the Eye roaming through trees and effortlessly bypassing obstacles but sneaking towards the target without alerting them of her presence was proving difficult for the mage to learn.

On the first day, they lost their prey at least 12 times due to a twig snap, leaf crunch, accidental gasp or soft curse. On one occasion, Iris even fell face-first into a pile of leaves. This caused Alder to call it a day early while laughing in amusement at her failings, much to Iris’ irritation. And as if to add insult to injury, the mercenary then caught a ram within 10 minutes of Iris stopping her efforts so they could have something to bring back to Dahlia anyway.

Her failure as a hunter made the mage grumpy for the rest of the night. She tried to drown her irritation in more of the watered-down ale when they reached the tavern, but the day didn’t seem to be done with beating her down yet.

When Bella arrived with their drinks and started to speak to Alder, Iris reached for what she thought was the ale and immediately took a big gulp. That decision was a mistake. Her mind registered an unfamiliar scent of spice from the foreign liquid that passed lips, the body felt fire go down the throat and eyes widened in surprise. She impulsively swallowed the drink but choked on the burning and doubled over in a coughing fit. Alder’s laughter rang out from across her a few seconds later. When she stopped coughing and could finally look up at him, she was met with Alder’s amused smile as he read through a small piece of paper and took sips of what she assumed was the same drink.

“West Hill brandy,” the mercenary said with a mischievous grin. “Next time, best to look before you drink.”

She only glared at him in reply and quietly grumbled, vowing revenge from underneath the face cover.

Thankfully, Iris would get a small consolation from the day in petty retaliation. When she was about to stand to get Alder more ale from Lloyd, she noticed that the dwarven target missed the prior night was on his way out of the tavern. Iris didn’t want to miss the chance to finish what she started, so after signaling Alder, she waited for the dwarf to be at the right spot then casually but deliberately passed him on the way to Lloyd’s counter, with arms raising to adjust the hood on her head. Her elbow brushed against the back of the dwarf’s head, as she slowly blinked—

And a power surged forth. Dwyn standing over a scared man, his two companions on either side. Dwyn with a greedy grin, counting coins on the table. Dwyn putting away a large greatsword next to a master list of names of those who owed him in the strongbox in his home, locking it with a key. Dwyn and his companions hauling a corpse and throwing it into a hole. Dwyn handing over a pouch of coins to a man that was too well-dressed for the location they were in.

“Hey! Watch it!” the gruff dwarf said as he turned his heel to glare at her for bumping into him.

“My apologies, ser,” Iris said with a bow in an even tone. Seemingly placated, the dwarf huffed, then turned and continued to walk out of the tavern to follow his companions.

Her face cover hid her triumphant smile.

The information on Dwyn’s past as a loan shark who specifically targeted vulnerable nobles and verifying where he kept his ‘client list’ was exactly what Alder requested from her…

…and she happily and spitefully held it over him for the rest of the night until he apologized to her in a disgustingly sweet tone in the middle of the tavern, much to his mortification.

Revenge was sweet.

The second day of their training passed with much less incident, though about as much success as the first. Twigs snapped, soft curses and audible breathing passed lips, leaves crunched, and frustrations rose. When it became apparent that Iris was struggling with the conventional instruction, Alder suggested an alternative plan.

“Remember when you learned Common?” he said as he walked up to her and pulled off his glove in the process.

Iris blinked in recognition. “You want me to pull the training from you?” Realization dawned on her. Eyes narrowed and she crossed arms. “And why wasn’t this offered sooner?”

Alder smirked mischievously as he held out his hand. “And miss the fun of watching you struggle?”

Instead of touching his hand, she tried to hit him upside the head. Eyes turned silver as she tried to swipe at his unprotected brow while willing the information to her, but he was faster and caught the hand with his ungloved one—

And a power surged forth. Careful and precise steps, watching the ground but watching around, recognize when to move high, slowly front toe first and roll step inward then heel for quiet steps, steady and even breathing, recognize when to stay low, flow with the environment and area, toe first in slow steps to check if stepping on something breakable, use what is around to advantage for hiding, recognize when to stop moving, signals for quiet communication.

\--and she heard him click his teeth in disapproval before she saw his amused smirk.

“Oh, cheap shot,” he said teasingly as he lowered the held hand.

She gave him a roguish smile. “I figured you’d stop me but might as well try regardless if I could get a hit.”

He laughed appreciatively. They finally saw signs of improvement in her training after that.

* * *

_“I’m glad you have a friend.”_

The third day of training started off normally with Iris’ routine and a harder self-evaluation of the body. She happily estimated that, if she had one more day of full healing cycles to be certain of its condition, she could start conditioning for parkour the day after. Lips broke out into an excited grin as she bounded out of bed and skipped down to Dahlia and her morning chores.

The hours flew by quickly with Iris’ buzzing excitement that the next thing she knew, she was following Alder for their afternoon together, but noted that they weren’t going to their usual direction out of the village. Instead, they were walking into town and closer to the shops.

“So, what do we have on the agenda?” Iris inquired as she fell into step beside the mercenary. “More drunken tavern reconnaissance?”

“Later in the evening, yes. For now, we’re picking up items from the blacksmith,” Alder explained as they walked up to the blacksmith’s store and forge. He threw her a smirk. “Already took the liberty of having your armor, daggers, knives and bolas made. Consider them a gift for your successful recovery.”

Eyes widened in surprise and question. “Bolas?”

“And armor, daggers and throwing knives.” Alder seemed to be pleased with himself. “Got you leather armor, of course. Thought about other weapons but short sword would hinder your mobility and you won’t stay still enough for a bow and arrow, so it leaves knives and daggers. Bolas are a less known weapon from Antiva but thought you’d appreciate them as a disarming tool, _if_ you can throw them properly.”

“And here I thought you’d suggest I use as staff,” Iris said in a hushed playful tone.

He responded in an equally hushed tone. “And have you so obviously paraded around as a mage? No, thank you.” His smile turned teasing. “You won't need it for _your_ magic, and I doubt you’d take to it well. Too unwieldy for your sort of movement.”

Iris laughed. He got her there. “You should know that I’ve never killed anyone before.”

He chuckled. “Obviously. Spied that since you got to us. And wasn’t my goal for you to start, but still best be prepared to defend yourself. Though I gathered that you’d be more focused on disarming or distracting so you could run or hide.”

Iris nodded in confirmation. That had been her plan. If she was honest, she didn’t know if she could bring herself to take the life of anything or anyone, though she understood that it would need to be done if the situation called for it. However, her first line of defense was always running. It had been ingrained in her and that wouldn’t change.

“Then your training will focus on defense, evading and maneuvering,” he said as he stepped in front of a door and opened it.

Iris was immediately accosted by the smell of metal and the heat of the forge. A rhythmic clanging sounded through the room, only cut by Alder’s cheery greeting.

“Owen!” the mercenary beamed.

“Alder,” the blacksmith said curtly in greeting. “Here for your special order?” His gaze shifted to Iris as she stepped in behind him. “Huh. That her then? Stranger than you described.”

“Cowl can be odd but necessary. She’s shy about meeting strangers,” he said easily, pushing her to the forefront. “Iris, meet Owen, Redcliffe’s blacksmith. Owen, this is Iris.”

The man was the real-life version of his in-game counterpart but the years of being a blacksmith were more prominent on his person with his larger frame and calloused hands. His eyes were also more alive and lacked the anguish and sadness that she could recall, so she assumed that Valena was still safe. Likely still at the castle, but safe. She wondered if—

Alder’s hand landed on a shoulder and she was brought back to the present. Right. Introductions. Thinking later.

“Pleased to meet you, Owen,” Iris said with a smile in the eyes.

He nodded in acknowledgement as he placed his tools on the table and moved to a shelf and weapons rack, pulling out a few items. Alder walked up to him and Iris followed behind but also took the chance to look around the room.

The game rendering didn’t do the reality any justice, but it gave a good idea of what it looked like in broad strokes. There were significantly more weapons and personal items around the room though that it was almost…homey, in a way. It saddened Iris a bit as she recalled the events of Owen’s side quest. Did it really have to be that way?

With Bann Teagan’s recent arrival to aid Redcliffe in Eamon’s absence and the knights of Redcliffe’s slow return, she guessed that it was only a matter of time before the remaining events of the game played out. She resisted squirming in discomfort at the thought. She had been passive so far, focusing on healing and her magic to assure her survival and avoid being defenseless for what was to come but, as more time passed, she recognized how it was easy to fall into a routine of complacency. She didn’t want that. She wouldn’t fall into the trap of becoming a bystander NPC when she had abilities and could do more than simply survive. She _wanted_ to do more. But how?

She now knew she could rely on some elements of her game knowledge, based on the past few nights in the tavern. Most were consistent with some elements of the game while others were not. Signs thus far have also pointed to the general flow of the game being correct, but she was greatly lacking the finer details that she would have to utilize her abilities often to get them. The set-up for major events was also not proceeding as rushed and brushed aside as the game, so she had more time to act, but the mundane happenings between the events were more involved than portrayed. She could only imagine how much _more_ involved and tiring it would be if she were to travel through Thedas without the fast travel options. She mentally groaned at the thought of that much trouble. And that much _walking_. At least she could have fun with the landscape and seeing the various locations. But the _walking_.

She stopped herself. She was getting sidetracked.

Iris reviewed her situation. Now that she was more prepared to survive by her own efforts, she was ready to do more.

To do more, she should use what she knew from the game to help in a proactive manner. It was only logical to use any advantage available.

But that would mean being able to confirm not only what was happening as it happens, but what was to come. This meant confirming the future.

Her current ability roster lay in information gathering and the future was technically information, so logically speaking, could she use it for that?

Maybe?

Alder had immediately written off the idea during their testing because he genuinely thought it impossible. She let it slide then as she didn’t think it was important _then_ , but now was another story. And seeing as Iris was basically living what she thought was impossible, so she was more willing to try anything.

For her, there was only one way to truly find out.

Head turned to where the two men conversed as she brought herself back to the situation at hand. She regarded Owen as she stepped up to the table laid with pieces of dark armor, two sets of throwing knives in their belts, three sets of three metal balls with a hole through each, and one dagger in its sheath as Owen held its pair. He stood tall and confident as he spoke of his craft with an equally enthusiastic Alder. Most of his body was covered given the Ferelden weather, but she saw an opportunity as she watched his hands holding the other dagger.

She shifted the body’s stance to give Alder a small nudge with a foot – one of their quick signs to let him know that she was about to use her abilities. His eyes glanced toward her so quickly that she almost missed it, but she didn’t miss the return tap of a hand and the change in the conversation flow to give her an opening.

“So, Iris,” he said, turning to her. “Care to take a closer look at your dagger? Best be sure that it’s the right weight for you to wield.”

Iris simply nodded and reached over to take the dagger from Owen…

…while brushing a fingertip lightly against his hand, willing the information on his future to come to her, and blinking the eyes slowly to hide the flash of silver.

And a power surged forth. Moving images flashed in her mind’s eye but there were more coming in simultaneously than she ever encountered before. A mild pain hit and grew as the images passed. Owen’s grief at hearing the news of the happenings at the castle, Owen hiding with Valena in the shop, Owen losing himself to drink, Owen speaking to a group from behind a door, Owen hugging Valena in relief, Owen getting cut down by a sword, Owen opening the door, Owen fighting a group, Owen placing a noose around his neck, tears streaming down his face—

A clang cut through her thoughts as Iris simultaneously gasped, jerking a hand away.

“Sorry,” she said on impulse, but noted that the voice that came out sounded more…shaken. She winced at the dull headache and took a breath to calm herself, vaguely noting that her power’s energy reserves were cut further than other skills. She felt Alder’s hand on a shoulder and could practically feel his gaze on her, but she would not meet it. Not now. Not yet.

Owen picked up the dagger and gave her a reassuring smile as he started to pack away the items in a sack for them to take. “No harm done, lass. I’d be a pitiful excuse of a blacksmith if my blades couldn’t withstand a fall.” He looked at her in question. “How do you find the dagger?”

Iris forced a smile in the eyes. “It’s perfect, thank you.”

Owen nodded, pleased with himself and handed Alder the sack when done. “If any of these need repairs, you know where to find me.” He turned to Alder with a smile. “I should have your sword done in two days.”

Alder gave him a grateful smile as he slung the pack over his shoulder. “Then I’ll be seeing you in two days. Say hello to Valena for me!” He teased with a wink but only laughed at Owen’s scowl.

With that, he led Iris out by the shoulder and closed the door behind them. They didn’t get far before he pulled her over to a tree a ways off the main path. The situation was strikingly similar to how she was a few days prior that she couldn’t help but give a weak laugh. At least she wasn’t panicked this time.

“We have to stop placing ourselves in these situations. People might misunderstand again like that woodcutter,” she joked. “Though I suppose pulling me away from awkward moments comes with the territory.”

Alder smiled at her words. “If you’re well enough to joke, I take what you gleaned wasn’t as bad as it seemed?”

“Oh, no. It was horrible,” Iris stated lightly but low enough for no one else to overhear, actively pushing the thoughts of Owen dying from her mind. “But necessary. I’ve found another feature of my power, but you may not believe me this time.”

“Oh?” he said with a raised eyebrow, matching her volume. “After all your surprise, I doubt anything can shock me anymore.”

“I warned you.” She took a breath to ready herself for the plunge. “I can apparently glean more than the past and present. I can see the future as well.”

A silence fell.

Her gaze stayed on a tree past Alder as she steadied herself from the vision – she guessed she could call it that? – and waited for the man to process the bomb she just dropped on his lap. She mentally sent him an apology for the unexpected turn of events. Then again, she knew it was essential for her to know if she had the ability and confirm what she knew from the game.

At least now, she knew that she was falling into the Modern Character in Thedas trope very nicely though she didn’t know if she hated or loved it. If she had the plot armor that assured her living through the Blight, she’d take it. But wait…would that mean falling for Alistair or Cullen or Solas down the line? She mentally snorted at the idea. She hoped not.

“Iris,” he started to say quietly but exasperation very clear in his voice. “Pushing aside that seeing the future is utterly unprecedented, what in the Maker’s name possessed you to think you should _test_ if you could _do_ it? I thought we agreed it couldn’t be done!”

“ _You_ thought it couldn’t be done. I thought it seemed…logical,” she argued weakly, earning a groan from Alder.

“Logical, she says!” he said with dismay, straightening to throw his hands in the air. “Andraste, give me _patience_!”

“I mean, future information is _still_ information,” Iris continued. “And I can pull _information_. I mean, it proved successful. Somewhat.”

“Somewhat. How successful is ‘somewhat’ successful?”

Iris recalled the images. “I did see his future, but not anything for certain. It wasn’t one vision of what _is_ to inevitably happen but multiple likelihoods for what _may_ happen.” If she could compare it to anything familiar, it was like checking a walkthrough or guide for what the decisions in a specific decision tree would lead to, only with very _real_ stakes and very fragmented images. “The images were…messy, disjointed and vague. I’m unsure of how far it was in the future as it all seemed to focus on one time period. I’m only certain they were out of order...but I think I can piece together some things.”

Alder’s expression turned from annoyed to thoughtful as her explanation continued. “How are your power reserves?”

Iris quickly prodded at them and it confirmed her vague observation from earlier. “Depleted by more than other abilities thus far.”

“Limited use then,” Alder looked at her pointedly. “Very limited.” Iris rolled the eyes at what she recognized as Alder’s protective nature coming out. “Alright then. What did you see?”

Iris had to be careful with her wording here. She had to reveal exactly what she needed to let Alder know and make use of what she already knew from the game but had to do so without compromising any of her secrets. “I saw him going through an ordeal – what it is exactly, I cannot say. The cause wasn’t shown in the vision. Though based on the happier scenes, I believe his troubles mainly revolved around a young woman. You said he had a daughter?”

“Valena. Only woman in his life right now that would make him happy. Though it makes sense,” Alder muttered. “Valena’s his whole world.”

Eyes met his. “He died in two scenes I witnessed, Alder.” His eyes widened in shock, then a moment later, narrowed in determination.

“These are…possibilities, you say?”

“I believe so anyway.”

“Can they we make one future more likely than another then?”

“I…don’t know,” she replied with uncertainty. “I should hope so.”

“Then that’s enough,” Alder said with finality as he threw her a grin. “Leave it to me then. I’ll take care of things while you focus on refining that new ability of yours.” He started to walk off to the direction of their home. “Preferably without overwhelming yourself next time. Wouldn’t have to rescue you again when you use it.”

Iris flushed and sputtered indignantly as she followed along behind him, resenting the idea of needing to be _rescued_ rather than simply _helped_ in that moment _._

At the back of her mind, she was curious for what he meant by “leaving it to him” but as she was becoming accustomed to Alder and his secrecy, she didn’t bother to question. She did vaguely wonder if anything she shared thus far would affect the future, especially in this case. Sharing information Lloyd and Berwick were one thing as there seemed to be no results from that, but this was another scale entirely.

With what happened so far though, she greatly doubted it would change anything…

…but something within her told her she couldn’t be sure.


	7. Chapter 7

_“Be ready. Stay safe.”_

If Iris learned one constant about life, it was that it was ever changing.

Some changes are sudden. They hit you like a truck and change your world forever, figuratively and literally in her case.

Some changes are more subtle. They may even go unnoticed until she takes the time to really see them.

The day after she saw Owen’s fate, she started to see the small changes – differences from the game compared to the world around her – though she didn’t know what they meant in the broader picture.

The first of these changes was easy to miss. She would even consider it a stroke of luck that she saw it while waiting for Dahlia to finish her business in the general store. After all, if she followed the old woman in, she would’ve missed it. If she didn’t wander around to map out a parkour route of her surroundings for fun, she would’ve missed it. But as luck would have it, she was at the right place at the right time to see a few knights knocking at the door of a certain dwarf.

She stopped in her tracks as the door opened to reveal Dwyn with his men on either side. On instinct, she stepped back and hid behind a corner to carefully observe them. The two groups exchanged a few words, based on the hand movements and Dwyn’s moving lips. She couldn’t hear what was said, but noted that Dwyn’s body language – crossed arms, scowl on his face, straightening body posture – appeared standoffish. The knight at the head of the group unfurled a parchment to wave in front of the dwarf’s face and Dwyn balked as he read the words. The knight said something more with a thumb jutting to the direction of those behind him and gesturing to another general direction. A few moments of hesitation lapsed before Dwyn’s form reluctantly sagged in defeat and he stepped aside to let the knights into his home.

Iris narrowed in concern. What just happened?

Before she could move out of her hiding spot to take a closer look and possibly eavesdrop, she felt a tight but gentle grip around a hand and nearly jumped in surprise. Her gaze whirled to face what had startled her and she met with Dahlia’s friendly smile.

Iris blinked in surprise again. When had the woman snuck up on her? More importantly, _how_ had she—

Dahlia’s airy laugh cut her thoughts. “You’re lucky I was the one who caught you, dear. You should know better than to spy in broad daylight. It’ll make you look awfully suspicious.”

Iris flushed as the merchant pulled her away from the hiding spot. “I apologize. I won’t—”

“Now now, don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Dahlia said, cutting Iris off with an unnaturally strong pat on the back. Her voice dropped to a hush. “Between us, I’m not saying not to _do_ it.” There was a twinkle of playfulness in Dahlia’s eye and a lightness in her smile. “Only to play it smarter next time. I know you can do better.”

Eyes widened in surprise. Did Dahlia just— The continuous chain of surprises from the old woman was too much. Iris couldn’t help but laugh heartily at the situation. “Right. Of course. I’ll remember that.”

“That’s my girl.” Dahlia walked towards the direction of home, leading Iris by a hand. “Now, come along. We have much to do.”

The flow of the day that followed pushed the event out of Iris’ mind. She helped in cleaning around the home, passed a stack of letters to the messenger boy from Dahlia, and spent the afternoon practicing stealth and other abilities with Alder in the forest, before the pair headed to the tavern. It was as normal as her day could go.

That is, until she noticed the second small change.

She was sitting on a stool in the corner of the tavern, taking a break and nursing a headache from her third use of her new future sight ability that night. She and Alder agreed to train it and so she did, having learned a few new things about it. One was that the amount of energy drained depended on how many possible futures she saw, as looking into a beer stein’s fate didn’t drain her reserves nearly as much as looking into Bella’s. There was also a limit to how far she could look and she couldn’t target exact times of foresight, as she could see what would happen in the near future for Bella – emptier tavern, running away and screaming, speaking to a group with two people wearing Grey Warden armor, running the tavern and passing drinks, dying in the hands of undead clawing at her skin – but not further out in years given her failed second that only made her headache worse.

As Iris blinked to adjust to the lighting of the tavern and wishing that the headache would go away, she heard the tavern doors creak open and revealed the same group of knights from earlier in the day, judging by their faces. She blinked in surprise. The chatter quieted around them as some tavern patrons turned to observe the armored men.

This didn’t happen in the game. Did it?

The men didn’t need to go far as their apparent goal sat close to the entrance, back turned to everyone else, but Iris noted the tense shoulders and shaking hand on Berwick’s form. Her heart thudded loudly in her chest as they spoke to the elf in hushed tones. Berwick answered back and nodded slowly. The lead knight’s hands gesturing for him to stand to go with them. Berwick hesitated, but reluctantly stood to follow them out of the building. As the door closed, murmurs started up within the walls of the tavern, then they turned into full blown chatting of conspiracies and theories.

But Iris didn’t hear any of them. This _definitely_ didn’t happen in the game.

Thoughts ran through her mind as her glance darted between the empty seat at the door before settling on staring at the door. She almost considered going after them but was also paralyzed by the speed of the thoughts as they raced.

What did this mean? Why did this happen? What had changed? Was this her doing? Was this her _fault_? How did this affect events – the _game_ – moving forward? Was this going to affect everything negatively? What else was going to change? Did this lessen her chances of survival? How did—

The sensation of something grabbing a hand again brought her back to the present as she met Alder’s questioning eyes. He held a mug close to his lips and hid his expression from everyone else except her.

The voice was soft as she spoke. “…did you…?”

A moment passed between them as he looked over the face, assessing her expression. Then his lips curled into a small smirk as he let go of the hand and raised his finger to his lips in a gesture of silence. In a quick but subtle motion after, the hand lowered, and he took a gulp of the ale as if nothing happened between them.

It was a non-answer, but at the same time, it was all she needed to confirm it was him…

…which meant it was _her_ interference that caused this. Her knowledge. Her existence.

Alder turned back to the conversation of their companions. The tavern’s usual merriment returned in full force. Bella stopped by to drop a few more drinks for them with a professional smile. Lloyd’s gaze stayed away from the barmaid but darted occasionally towards Alder as he worked.

Iris looked back at the door and Berwick’s empty chair.

The night flew by with conversation and the usual tavern joy happening around her, but her gaze stayed glued to the door with discomfort from uncertainty coursing through the body and questioning what any of this meant for the future that she knew would come.

* * *

_“Be ready.”_

It would take a night of dreamless sleep before Iris would be ready to process the emotions from the previous day and not overload her brain with thoughts. She would’ve been able to do so sooner but she blamed the headache from pushing her powers too far, she blamed starting body conditioning that caused her muscles to ache fiercely, and then _this_ just _had_ to—

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, closing the eyes and resting the head on the building wall behind her as she stood to wait for Dahlia to finish her business in the chantry.

Okay. She couldn’t let herself get overwhelmed. Not now.

Process. She had to process this.

She took another deep breath and exhaled slowly, eyes remaining closed.

She reviewed the facts of her situation thus far: She had been using her powers to collect information on certain characters from the game. She shared them with Alder who saved her and whom she grew to trust, because she thought it would be harmless. There had been no immediate adverse effects, so she assumed that the future was absolute, and her knowledge wouldn’t affect this world with events proceeding smoothly as they would in the game. She thought that she would mainly be on working on her own survival and everything else would sort itself out.

But evidently, that isn’t the case. She blamed the tropes for feeding into her assumption. She should’ve known better that the future could’ve been _conditional_ given the warnings in popular media and fanfiction. She groaned at her mistake as she thumped the head lightly onto the wall.

Now, her interference – her _existence_ – changed things and made them different from what she knew in the game basis. It was too late to undo anything, and it was too late to stop given that she knew that they were her advantages. That meant her only course of action was making things _better_ than they could be.

Alright. She could work with that.

So far, she had changed minor events in the grander scheme of the game. If she could affect minor events, could that mean she could change major ones as well?

It would be safer to operate under the assumption of “yes”, for fear of changing too much that may affect the end of the Fifth Blight. She would like to live to see the events from the next two games and she’d take available opportunities to increase those chances.

But are these changes then for the better or worse?

She opened the eyes to the sight of the sky, brow furrowing as she didn’t know the answer to that last question.

Thus far, she affected the fates of Dwyn and Berwick, two people who could’ve helped in the efforts at Redcliffe village. She didn’t know where they were taken or what happened to them. She didn’t even know what the knights wanted with them to begin with. She reviewed the information she pulled from them for Alder. To her, the exercise was confirming knowledge from the game and the details were unimportant information on side characters that she already knew.

She frowned.

But to this world…they were a spy and a loan shark that targeted nobles. They were criminals. And she provided confirmations for their crimes.

Eyes widened as the thought clicked into place.

Did that mean that they were apprehended by the mayor or the Bann for these wrongdoings? But they were forces that were supposed to aid in Redcliffe’s defense against the undead. What was going to happen then? If they were brought to Redcliffe castle—

Iris started as another thought hit her. Redcliffe castle. Valena. Owen and Valena.

Alder’s words from the other day.

She pushed off from her place on the wall, ignoring the aches that shot through her body and ran to the blacksmith. The door opened at the same time she pried it open, and in her rush, face met a hard chest as she bumped into a customer walking out of the store.

“Woah, watch yourself,” a familiar male voice said. “What’s got you in such a rush?”

Iris sighed in exasperation. She should’ve known he would be here.

Her gaze moved up to see Alder’s cheerful smile as he rested his sheathed sword on his shoulder. She stepped back and frowned at him, though he only saw eyes narrow.

As she was about to give him a piece of her mind with what happened as of late, she noticed movement behind him. Her gaze shifted to peer over his shoulder and eyes widened in surprise as she saw Owen smiling gently at a young woman, his hands on her shoulders as she smiled back at him with fondness.

Valena. She wasn’t as willowy as her in-game avatar, and her hairstyle was more layered, but it _had_ to be Valena. She was here. Which meant she wasn’t at the castle. Which meant that Owen wouldn’t—

“I told you I’d take care of it,” Alder said from somewhere on her left as the door closed, obscuring her view of the father and daughter pair.

Iris released the breath she wasn’t aware she was holding to look at Alder measuringly.

“I should’ve been questioning what you’ve been doing with the knowledge I’ve provided you,” she said in a low tone as she followed him while he walked away from the blacksmith’s store and towards the chantry.

“Yet you didn’t,” he answered back in a light tone. “You’re lucky I’m one of the good ones. You and your power are easy to take advantage of.”

“Only because I trust you,” she argued back with a glare thrown his way at the implication that she was easy to manipulate. She may have been trusting of the two, but she wasn’t stupid. If she was in any danger, she wouldn’t hesitate to try and get away, injured or not. But as Dahlia and Alder were the people they were, she found no reason to distrust them.

“Then trust that I haven’t done anything you wouldn’t have approved of,” he explained with an easy smile. “Suspicious men had gotten what they deserve, and a damsel has been rescued. What more could you wish for?”

She maneuvered to step in front of him and halted his movement. Eyes met his. “The truth would be nice.”

He regarded her for a few moments with an appraising gaze…before he settled on a casual stance with a shrug. “I _suppose_ you’ve earned it by now,” he said with a teasing tone as he drew out the word. “Though my word isn’t the final one, so we’ll have to wait and see.”

She glared at him again, unamused. “Earned _what_ exactly? And wait for _who_?”

“You’ll see, Iris. Patience.”

“Not this aga—”

“Oh my, are you two fighting again?” a familiar old woman’s voice sounded from behind Iris, but she didn’t look away from Alder as Dahlia stepped beside her.

“We aren’t fighting,” the pair said at the same time, though Iris in a firmer tone and Alder in a more easygoing tone.

Dahlia chuckled, amused at their antics. “Of course, you aren’t.” She walked between them in an easy glide. “Come along then, dears. Our meal won’t make itself.”

Iris spent most of the walk home trailing behind them, head swimming with thoughts and managing feelings. Even with confronting Alder, he seemed to think he did the right thing and she couldn’t blame him given his context. The information she confirmed _was_ useful and anyone would’ve resolved the situations the way he did. Yes, he used her and her abilities to retrieve the information – an issue she’d speak with him about _later_ – but she couldn’t help but think that it was more than simple manipulation and utilizing her powers for a goal. Alder grew to care for her as part of Dahlia’s family, and she could clearly see it. So that meant there was more. What else was going on in the background? With the way the confrontation ended, it seemed like he was…evaluating her? For what? He said it wasn’t up to him so she could only assume she’d find out later. Was it best to wait? Would it be best to prepare for the worst?

She sighed in frustration. With thinking of preparing for the worst, she was reminded of the game changes. Pushing aside the element of Alder, were the changes done better or worse for her and the world? She knew that Modern Character in Thedas stories would sometimes have third options and change key outcomes in the game, but many things also remained the same. Tropes normally dictated that the future was either set in stone or deviate wildly from canon, but reality apparently had _so many_ gray areas in between. So how would she navigate this uncertainty? How would she use this future sight and go about changing events and outcomes while hoping the world won’t break?

Her mind overloaded with questions though she was sadly not closer to any answers.

The more she thought, the more she felt stuck. But the more she felt stuck, the more she felt that couldn’t stay still.

She _had_ to move forward somehow and think of her next courses of action, despite the uncertainty. She would not be helpless.

Time passed through the day as Iris built her resolve, considered her options and returned to the same unanswered questions. The next time her consciousness was brought back to her surroundings, the three of them were back at home, seated at the table for their midday meal. Dahlia was at the stove, doling out portions of stew into bowls and Alder sat beside Iris at the table as she stared at one scratch on the table in deep thought. The silence stretched with moments only filled by the sounds of rustling clothing, ladle clinking into the pot and fingers tapping on the table.

Then Alder broke the quiet.

“You’re thinking hard,” she heard him say from her left.

Iris gave a noncommittal noise. A look must have passed between the mother-son pair as Dahlia was the next to speak in a concerned tone. “Iris?”

“Hm?” she said, looking up at the old woman slowly, her mind heavy with thoughts.

Dahlia walked back to the table, managing to balance three bowls in hand. Her face only held soft concern as she placed a bowl in front of Iris. “Are you alright, dear?”

“I’m fine,” Iris muttered, looking down again. “Just thinking.”

“About?” Alder asked, leaning forward with elbows on the table as Dahlia placed a bowl in front of him.

Iris hesitated. She wasn’t sure if it was right to voice her thoughts, especially when her thinking was in such a grand scale that they wouldn’t understand. But she reminded herself who she was with. She needed more perspective and insight that she might not be able to attain by keeping it in the confines of her mind.

Her gaze moved to Alder as she chose her words carefully. “…If what was done was the right thing to do.”

The mercenary frowned. “You’re doubting it?”

Her gaze lowered, returning to look at the table with uncertainty. “I…don’t know. We’re interfering with the lives of so many using my…” A hand clenched on the lap. Could she reveal this with Dahlia present? She steered away for safety. “…I’m unsure if it’s the right thing to do.”

Dahlia hummed in agreement from where she sat on her right. Her eyes met the old woman’s soft but knowing smile. “Especially when a power such as yours comes with a great burden, doesn’t it?”

Eyes widened slightly before she averted her gaze. Alder never gave indication that Dahlia knew of her abilities but then again, he didn’t seem the type to keep secrets from the merchant. Family seemed to mean a lot to them. Iris resisted squirming in discomfort as she quietly stated her observation. “He told you.”

Dahlia nodded sagely. “My son tells me everything,” she said, confirming Iris’ suspicions. Iris glanced at Alder in question, but he only gave her a shrug in response before taking a bite of stew.

Her gaze returned to Dahlia as the woman continued to speak. “But you’d do well to remember, dear. Power is only an instrument of the one who uses it. The one who uses it will decide how evil or good or in-between it may be. And so, that begs the question. In an ideal world…” Dahlia smiled at Iris. “…how would _you_ use it?”

That was easy to answer.

“To assure I live, for one…” Iris said softly. “…and to be of use in making things better, if I can.”

Dahlia laughed lightly, seemingly pleased by the answer. “Then why should that change? I don’t see the reason you can’t use it for yourself and others.”

“And don’t doubt that you already have,” Alder said as he tore into a piece of bread dipped in stew. Dahlia threw a glare at him for his table manners, but the mercenary ignored her and took another bite.

“And what if…I’m unsure?” Iris challenged, fists clenching in tension. “We can’t say for certain if what was done will be helpful or harmful in the future. It may _seem_ to help now but…what if that changes?”

Dahlia patiently reached for hands on lap and coaxed her to relax. It was only when Iris visibly released some tension when Dahlia spoke up again. “Will that stop you from trying?”

Iris stared at her for a moment as the answer came to her. “…no. It shouldn’t.”

“Then don’t _allow_ it to stop you,” Dahlia said as her slender fingers rubbed circles on a hand. “Believe in yourself and your power, and believe in your help. After all, you provide a hope that no one else can.”

Iris took a moment to let the words sink in before sighing.

Dahlia was right. She had something no one else did. It was what she was given, and she _had_ to use it as her advantage. She couldn’t let fear or uncertainty paralyze her. She wouldn’t be able to move forward and survive if she did and she knew it. She had to look on the brighter side of the situation and take what she could. She couldn’t do any more for what changes were made, but she could take care of the negative effects, if any showed. In looking forward, she could aid those who may need what she can give as the _only_ chance at changing their fates. There were many choices, chances and decision trees in Dragon Age that she wished she could’ve affected differently, and with her no longer bound by a game, she could _more_. It happened time and again with stories, and she could only conclude then that it would happen here.

She smiled beneath the mask, a small bud of hope building within her heart. With her visions, Alder’s help and being able to change things this way, maybe the dangers of the game didn’t need to happen. Since they were in Redcliffe village, the most pressing issue would be the undead. Maybe they still had time to save Conner if they worked quickly. She willingly avoided addressing the issue of his possession as she feared the Arlessa’s overprotective nature with her son’s secret and no one believing her without proof but if Alder built credibility with the mayor or Bann through the provided information…maybe it was a chance. Maybe the little boy wouldn’t be subjected to the demonic dangers then. Her resolve steeled at the idea, as she felt as hopeful as she did when she first used Bethany’s Fade magic. Things would look up and who knows? Maybe she could—

Warning.

She stilled as she felt a pulse of pain in her head. Hands moved to clutch her forehead as the pain stayed and grew.

“Iris? Are you alright, dear?”

“Iris, are you having—but you aren’t touching anything! How—”

Warning.

A power suddenly surged forth with full force into her mind. The pain from the force ringing through as moving images upon moving images ran through her mind’s eye. People dying. Screams of pain. People running but caught as a demon roared. Screams of panic. People banging at the doors but pulled back. Screams of sorrow. Connor. Creatures. Demons. Isolde cried for her boy. They approached the dead and entered. The bodies rose. They changed. Undead. One after the other. Grabbing. Tearing. Biting. Screams sounded into the night. That night. Alder’s wild, frantic look as he sliced through multiple undead around him. Dahlia off to her right with a fierce look in her eyes and weapon in hand, slashing at another one that came in. A single undead in the room she was in. Its sunken eyes glowed orange as it turned to her, opened its boney jaw and lumbered in her direction and—

Warning.

Iris felt the breath pass between lips as she gasped for air. She tried to relax the hands that clutched arms at the intensity of the power’s force but failed as her grip stayed and clenched, grounding her to reality. Two pairs of hands – both strong but one firm and one softer – were around her as her vision cleared. She heard her name called, but the voices felt distant. They were beside her but felt so far away as she focused only on one fact the forced vision provided her.

Tonight. The undead would come _tonight_.

Her heart sank. There was no time left.

She was _too late_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some important notes from my end commentaries will be retained as necessary.
> 
> Intent was to write Iris being prone to mistakes in assumptions or some conclusions drawn if she doesn't really think things through, so I hope that that came off right. Yes, she learned the hard way now, so she'll be using the brain wrinkles more. And I hope that this also gives the explanation for "if she was aware of the undead coming, why didn't she say anything?", because to be fair, "overprotective Arlessa mother who can accuse Iris of lying and lock her away" is a really good motivator not to.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to MirrorDaltokki for the horror description help. :3
> 
> Trigger warning: canon compliant descriptions of violence, lots of horror and death

It would be a few moments before Iris could compose herself enough to speak of the vision and recount it for Alder and Dahlia. Even then, she shivered lightly as she recalled the details and choked back a small sob as she confirmed that it was too late to help.

“You must be joking!” Alder said with anger, slamming his fist down on the table. “We know the nature of your visions. You _can’t_ be certain!”

“I would normally agree with you,” Iris said in a low tone, unfazed by his outburst. “But this…” She fought the urge to hug the body again for comfort. “This vision is…different. I’m…sorry, but I’m sure it’s already…happened.”

Her vision showed the present and future, she was sure of it. And it was an inevitable one. The way the images forced into her mind gave no room for her to see other possibilities than that one. That meant people were dying as they spoke. Even if they ran to the castle now to do _anything_ , it may only alert the demon within. Recalling the quest line, she knew the situation. She knew they couldn’t deal with from here or with what they had. They needed the aid and influence of the Grey Warden for the best outcome possible, and they didn’t know how long it would be before they would arrive. She estimated that it would only be a few days but…

“But you can’t expect us to do _nothing_!” Alder argued, glaring at Iris in challenge. “If it’s a mage or demon then I can—"

“Alder!” Dahlia’s voice cut his speech and Iris started at the sound, gaze moving to Dahlia. Her face had none of the sweet gentleness she was used to. Her expression showed steel and command as Alder closed his mouth without an argument.

Iris blinked at the old woman in surprise and disbelief as Dahlia cleared her throat and relaxed her features before speaking again in a more measured tone. “Alder, if what Iris says is true, then going to the castle alone would be suicide – Seeker or not.” She looked between them both, calmly and coolly. “We don’t have much time and we can’t spend what remains in an argument.”

At the corner of her eye, she watched Alder slowly deflating, shoulders relaxing and face settling in a frown at the woman’s reasoning.

“We must use the time wisely and prepare,” Dahlia continued and turned to her son. “Speak to Murdock and pass the information to the Bann. They should be willing to listen given…recent dealings.” Her face softened to one of her usual smiles. “I trust you’ll know what to do.”

Alder straightened himself and gave a single nod then immediately left the room to execute her orders. As Iris watched his retreating back covered by the door, she caught Dahlia’s gaze.

“Now, dear…” Dahlia said as she took a seat at the table again with a more relaxed but still business-like demeanor. “Tell me again about your vision. We’ll start from the beginning and don’t miss any details. We can’t say what could be important, you know.”

Iris blinked at the woman before her who felt familiar but foreign, but immediately shook the head to break herself out of the stupor. They didn’t have time for this. They had a village to save.

So, Iris sat at her designated spot at the table and began recounting the vision again.

* * *

The night was cool and calm as any other she had known since her arrival in the world. Iris had grown accustomed to the quiet Fereldan nights, devoid of noise pollution and the familiar evening sky, but this one did have more stars and two moons. There was usually a peace to it, but none of that was present that day. Tonight, a small group of men shuffled around impatiently under torchlight, warrior and civilian volunteer alike in varying armor and weaponry. Some were understandably irate, showing signs of impatience as they moved. Some were nervous and jumpy, glancing around at their surroundings with vigilance. A rare few were calm as they kept their gaze on the castle bridge. Alder was one of the calm men, clad in armor and carrying an arsenal of weaponry, but his eyes frequently switched between the bridge and Iris for any signals.

Iris sat anxious as she ensured that her cowl was secure around her head for the fifth time in thirty minutes and switched between watching the group and the road. She volunteered to act as a forward scout and despite Alder’s protests, Dahlia argued that she was the best for the role and agreed to her involvement so long as she would run at the first sign of danger. Now, she sat on her perch on the hill overlooking the road leading into town from the castle so she could do her job.

The terrain was more climbable than the game gave it credit for, and with her skills, she found that she could wall run up the available incline and pull herself up on the available ledge. The height was comfortable in a familiar yet foreign way, but she made a note to train harder in order to not struggle with the climb up for next time she may need to play scout. Her Eye was sent up to the road for the tactical advantage while she looked for the tell-tale sign of the fog, signaling their enemies’ arrival.

Dahlia positioned herself at the foot of a nearby building, clad in light armor, a sword strapped to her hip and bow with a quiver of arrows on her back. Her graying hair was even arranged so it was out of the way for fighting. She looked unlike Iris had ever seen her before – somewhat reminiscent of Leliana from the Leliana’s Song DLC, but attire more poised and elegant – though it suited her in a different way, providing an edge of danger to her sweeter demeanor.

When she looked back at the group again, Alder’s hand was in the air as he waved – a signal for her to check for information. She turned to the road and activated her ability. Eyes turned silver for a quick look through her Eye, vision switching to the magical orb that saw the world in normal light and full detail amidst the darkness. She took in the surroundings but there was nothing of note in its location. Then she immediately deactivated her power and signaled back to indicate that it was all clear.

As he nodded to confirm receiving the information, she watched the mayor, Murdock, striding up to the mercenary with a frown on his face. She remembered his avatar by the amount of facial hair and the gravely tone of his voice and loved that the design was by far the closest match to the real man.

“Anything from your scout?” Murdock asked in the expected gruff voice that carried through the quiet night. Hearing it made Iris smile beneath the mask.

“None from the road so far,” Alder said, placing hands on his hips in an easy manner.

Murdock hummed with a low rumble in thought as he gave Iris a side glance. Unfaltering eyes met his, and he looked back to Alder immediately.

“You’re sure about her?” the mayor asked in a lower tone and some discomfort in his voice. She guessed that that the man underestimated how the wind carried sound.

Alder chuckled, his eyes darting to her for a split second before answering. “She may be odd, but don’t doubt her eyes.” He tapped the corner of his own eye for emphasis. “Eyes of a hawk, she has.”

“Then let’s hope she catches wherever this damned threat is so we can turn in for the night,” Murdock said in impatience as he crossed his arms and looked up at the castle. A beat of silence passed. Then the mayor grumbled again. “You’d better be right about this, Alder.”

“Have it from a reliable source, Murdock,” the mercenary replied easily but a small undercurrent of unease showing in his tone. His hand moved to rest on his sword as he stood straighter. “But to be honest, I’d rather be wrong.”

The mayor hummed in agreement with the low rumble still present.

The night returned to relative peace for a while after the conversation as the group went back to waiting. Some shuffled around the open space in favor of keeping themselves limber. Others decided to take the time to engage in light sparring with one another. And some conversed and secretly hoped that there would be nothing to come and the fear was unfounded.

But they didn’t need to wait long for the green and black gas cloud to rush out of the castle without warning.

Iris felt the fear crawl up her spine and the flight response wanting to kick in. Her mind struggled for a split second but fought it down as she forced her body to move. She stood from her perch and called out. “Alder!”

Alder’s head whipped to her direction, eyes hardened in battle mode and question, and she nodded in confirmation that this was what they were waiting for. This was what she knew would happen.

The next moment, the pace of the night changed, and many things happened at once.

“Murdock!” Iris heard Alder cry before she placed a hand over the brow to make a show of looking into the woods as she activated her power.

Eyes turned silver, hidden in the shadow of a hand, and her view of the woods became vivid once again. She mentally willed the Eye to move further up the road to the bridge and saw _them_.

Walking corpses. Undead.

She paused a second to breathe as she felt the fear return, stronger than before, but fought it down again. Not now. Not when she had a job to do.

Focus.

The Eye maneuvered and weaved according to her will, flying through and over the group within the fog as she counted their numbers. They vaguely reminded her of mix of the Crypt-Keeper from Tales from the Crypt and the zombies out of Train to Busan turned medieval and unquestionably real. All were horrific and in various states of decomposition and destruction with each one worse than the last. Bite marks and flesh carved out of their bodies, missing parts with some dropping as they moved, lumbering, walking and dragging through the road but determined to reach their goal – all details she steered away from for fear of a panic response. To distract herself, she focused on other details that may be important to the men and noted that the undead moved in smaller clusters, as opposed to a bigger group. Each cluster appeared more horrifying than the last, marching and moving with the magical aid of the fog.

As she reached the end of her count, she willed her Eye to fly closer to the town and hover over their estimated battlefield then deactivated her power to the sound of Murdock’s voice. “Alright, you bastards, ready for battle!”

The men moved into their agreed-upon formation of two lines at the mouth of the village entrance, knights strategically spaced to provide enough support to the militia men. This line and placing allowed for them to create a funnel and limited the number of undead that could pass through into the village itself. It was strategic, effective and good for their smaller numbers if they could hold the line.

As they formed, Iris turned and slid down the hill as she was trained, easily touched down on the ground without losing the momentum and broke into a run. She sprinted to the group and positioned herself behind the lines.

“How many?” the mercenary asked her as he drew twin blades from his place in the second line. Murdock gave her a side glance as he stood beside Alder, listening in for the information.

“Around twenty walking corpses,” Iris stated. “They march in smaller units.”

Murdock grunted and Alder cracked a confident smile. “Good, we can work with that,” Alder said.

Iris felt a hand on a shoulder and turned to see Dahlia and her smile. “Good work, dear. Now, stay on the roof and warn us if there’s anything more to worry about. We’ll take care of the fighting.”

Iris nodded and glanced between them both. “Please stay safe.”

Dahlia smiled in confirmation and Alder threw her a grin as they separated.

Iris turned around and sprinted for a nearby building, used her momentum to run up the wall in three strides and pulled herself up. Her unpracticed muscles ached in the pull up, and she repeated the note to do more in her training. She needed to get better. She _needed_ to.

She crouched on her perch; hand repositioned above her brow to make a show of her peering into the distance and activated her Eye again. It floated in the fog as the zombies neared the village entrance.

“They’re coming!” she called out from her position.

The first group walked out of the green and black, terrifying forms lumbering forward with weapons in hand and the purpose to kill. But as the men were ready for their arrival, they were not cowed by the sight of the enemy and dealt the first blows. Weapons met undead heads and body parts in multiple strikes as they hacked, bashed and cleaved. The possessed corpses staggered back, some parts breaking apart from already damaged bodies, then with little pause, they attacked again, and blows exchanged. Bite met shield, clawing met a sword, club met skull in a deadly dance of battle. A few arrows from Dahlia and the other archer soared through the air and embedded themselves into the undead torsos.

It didn’t take long for the first group to fall.

Iris repressed the urge to retch at the sight of violence and slaughter. Parts flew, bones crunched, and things were happening that she had never seen before and didn’t think she’d ever _want_ to witness in her life, yet she knew she _had_ to keep it together. She wouldn’t do them any good as a scout if she wasn’t _scouting_. She tried to convince herself to see it more as a cut scene of an excessively violent video game or a scene from Game of Thrones…except she couldn’t push it out of her mind that it was all real. It was all happening. Her ‘family’ was in a battle and killing… _things_. And this – the violence, fighting, life or death at the hands of creatures – was _normal_ for the world.

Hand gripped an arm to steady herself, and she gulped as a reminder to keep the contents of her stomach in before steadying her breathing.

Keep watching for them. Keep a lookout to survive. Keep an Eye open to help _them_ survive. Don’t look away.

Be brave.

The pattern of trading blows repeated with the next group as the men found their stride and switched out with the second line when they needed relief from fighting or needed back-up. One man was completely taken out of the fighting when a corpse landed a nasty blow to his head, but she could only hope that he would be fine. From the remaining combatants, Alder and the few knights of Redcliffe that took the warning seriously seemed to be the most efficient in dealing with the enemy, but that was to be expected for trained warriors. The backline also did well at providing long-ranged support as Dahlia and the other archer frequently surprised the undead through loosing arrows with deadly effectiveness and timing.

This second group then fell, though it took a little longer than the first.

That meant three left, if her count was right. Iris continued to watch through the Eye as the third group marched forward through the fog…but she observed a change in their movements. She focused the vision of the Eye to the group for a better look.

They seemed to be moving…faster?

…and as one with the groups behind them.

Eyes widened in realization.

“They’ve changed strategy!” Iris called out from her location. “They’re charging all at once!”

The men’s stances faltered at the declaration as the militia men hesitated, but the knights and Alder immediately braced themselves as multiple corpses rushed through the fog. The force of the undead met a wall of the living as they stood their ground. Many of the men struggled to with a faster pace to compensate for the rush of bodies thrown their direction, but the undead fortitude, larger group and the strength of the charged broke their line.

She heard Alder curse loudly as one passed him and beelined straight for Dahlia. Iris was about to cry out, but Dahlia was faster. _Much_ faster. The old woman moved, and Iris didn’t register when she did, but the next thing she saw was the undead corpse with a short sword impaled through its chest, roars dying down and twitching until it stilled, and Dahlia holding the handle. She pulled it out with one smooth tug and the corpse dropped to the ground.

Iris gaped, still viewing from her Eye but not quite believing what she saw with the old woman’s fighting prowess. Was this the same Dahlia who called them ‘dear’ and made them pastries? She was… _amazing_.

Eye’s view darted back to the men as a scream cut through her thoughts of wonder. But just as she started to worry if someone fell or was gravely injured, she realized that the sound came from Alder.

It wasn’t a scream – it was a battle cry. Alder shouted and charged at several of the walking corpses with abandon, blades at the ready before him. Her Eye picked up a faint glow suddenly emanating from the mercenary as he barreled into the enemy line, swords blurring in his swings as he somehow moved quicker than before and cutting through what he could. What followed could only be described as a massacre as he cleaved, sliced and hacked through the enemy, one after the other in a successive frenzy of attacks. Iris felt a chill run down her spine at the deadly efficiency. With the way that Alder joked, it was hard to remember sometimes that he was a man capable of such feats but seeing it firsthand was a wake-up call to reality. He was a Seeker. He’s been _trained_ for this.

Some knights followed his lead as they took care of their share of enemies with no less vigor but much less power, while the less practiced militia men caught what escaped. It would only be a few more minutes until it was over, with Murdock taking the final stab against the last walking corpse, its roar gurgling to a halt and twitching fading to stillness.

“That’s the last of that,” Murdock said as he cleaned his sword on his sleeve before sheathing it.

Entrails and bodies were strewn about the road as ichor decorated the ground and terrain nearby. The men moved about to retrieve and clean weapons, check on each other’s’ conditions and provide aid to two injured men among them.

Iris took a small break to discreetly throw up off the side of the building with the built-up stress finally becoming too much for the body to handle. She was only thankful for the cover that the darkness provided and made a mental note to wash out her mouth later.

Alder and Dahlia approached her building casually and Iris jumped down and landed in a roll, transitioning to stop and stand in front of them.

“Are both of you alright?” Iris asked with obvious concern in her voice given their states of filth that may have covered injuries. She didn’t think she witnessed them getting hit, but in the heat of battle, she didn’t doubt that she could’ve missed something.

“We’re fine, dear. Don’t you fret. This isn’t my first dance with a blade,” Dahlia said with a brighter but reassuring smile.

“No injuries,” Alder confirmed with supporting nods from the old woman. “But a bath would be nice.”

With the tension of battle draining from her, Iris let out a short laugh in relief then a mischievous glint shined in the eyes at the opening. “Oh? Is that all? Though how’s that new from your everyday?”

“ _…_ oh, you did _not_ —”

Their conversation was cut as Murdock strode over to the group. “The bastards are gone for now, but it’s not the last we’ll see of them until the source is dealt with.” His looked at Alder. “You say this is only the first night?”

“Unfortunately,” Alder sighed tiredly, casually placing hands on his hips. “And they’re undoubtedly from the castle, so the mage responsible must be there. But as it’s a _castle_ , the defenses would be against us.”

“Then we forget the castle for now,” Murdock concluded. “No use in trying for an impossible task without more knights. More should be returning soon with Bann Teagan’s summons.”

“It would be best then to secure the town,” Dahlia said with a smile. “Maybe move the townsfolk to the Chantry. Makes it easier to defend, you know.”

“And start creating our own village defenses,” Alder said, as he shifted in place to cross his arms. “Wouldn’t want to be caught unprepared again. Fire traps and pits should do _wonders_.”

The mayor nodded in agreement. “We’ll start recruiting volunteers for the defensive efforts tomorrow then,” Murdock said with finality. “For now, a good night’s rest.”

Just when Iris thought that the man was going to leave, he instead turned to her. “Well, Hawkeye.” Eyes blinked at the nickname as Murdock smiled and nodded at her in acknowledgement. “You certainly showed your skill tonight. I feel the fool for doubting you.”

From his position behind the mayor, Alder turned his head and hid his snicker behind his hand but making no effort to assist.

Iris considered refuting the name and wondered how to do so in a polite way. But then…reconsidered that an additional pseudonym may be useful in case word of her abilities got out. She had to be realistic – though she enjoyed it, she knew that the anonymity wouldn’t last forever especially if she got involved with major events of the game. She had to be prepared.

Ah, well. At least it was a good nickname. There were worse things to be named after than the Marvel superhero or Riza Hawkeye from Full Metal Alchemist. Then again, she thought about the name and the body…and had to suppress a chuckle. Yes, this was too fitting to let go of and she would _own_ this accident.

“Thank you, ser,” she responded in a calm and composed manner, as Alder’s eyes widened in surprise. “I’m only glad to be of assistance.”

Murdock laughed out loud. “Humble as well, eh? Rare one, you are.”

Iris or now, Hawkeye smiled and assured that it reached her eyes. He had no idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're expecting Iris to ever gain the courage, will or balls to actually _kill_ then going to disappoint as early as now. She is built to be a utility character through and through. If you're familiar with D&D or have ever taken a candle and tried to see in darkness, you'll likely know how important dark vision is when you're trying to see through medieval darkness with torch light. She basically has an Arcane Eye with 360 degrees of Devil's Sight. XD
> 
> Yes, we've had MCITs that have been scouts and lookouts, but I don't know if some realize how _hard_ it is to be a scout when you're trying to _SEE_ in darkness, around obstacles where line of sight is a problem, magical fog and similar where vision range is also a problem. We're leaning HARD into this eye thing and I'm getting as much as I can out of it. XD
> 
> Also, it was clear in the Redcliffe Village storyline that the undead attacks happened for several nights. This is my explanation for how it started. Without Iris' warning, we can be pretty sure that more people would've gotten slaughtered while they slept. The force that defended Redcliffe is also a small one due to the last minute warning and how people wouldn't immediately believe something as crazy as 'undead attacking' but there _were_ people present in case it was true.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to MirrorDaltokki for the horror description help. :3
> 
> Trigger warning: canon compliant descriptions of violence, horror and death, and some child endangerment

_“It’s hard to watch, isn’t it?”_

The day following the attack on Redcliffe village was a flurry of activity as people prepared for the inevitable waves of walking corpses to come. Woodcutters took to the forest and provided a healthy supply of wood for the builders who created spiked barriers for defenses. Owen kept to his store for weapons creation and maintenance, and without needing to worry about Valena in the castle, the man was a well-oiled machine in the repairs and improvements. Militia men and knights prepared their armor and weapons and sparred with each other or practiced on wooden dummies to keep their skills sharp. Bann Teagan led the effort to contact the castle and see if they could find whoever remained alive within the walls. However, when the messengers returned with news of demons patrolling the walls, they abandoned the idea of taking it back until more knights would arrive.

For the rest of the more vulnerable townsfolk with families, elderly and small children, they spent the time either securing their homes with wooden planks boarding doors and windows or packed important belongings to move to the chantry for safety. Iris and her small family found themselves aiding the latter group as Alder helped families carry heavier items and Dahlia assisted the chantry mother, Mother Hannah, in getting people settled within the walls.

Iris, in the meantime, observed the steady stream of people from overhead on one of the chantry roofs, taking a break from parkour practice where she ran across the village and reported back on what she saw of the defense progress. Yes, she could’ve easily used her Eye for it, but she needed the training and familiarity with the terrain. The unintended bonus though was that she apparently boosted morale when the villagers appeared a little more at ease when they saw her watching over them, giving them a friendly wave as she ran through the streets or hopped from roof to roof. When there were children around, she even added a little flair with free running tricks like showier but still simple vaults and flips from roof to roof, much to their delight…

…but then it had worn her out more than she cared to admit. So here she was now, perching, sulking, and taking a break.

She sighed wistfully and wondered how long it would take for her to get back to flying form. Even when she used the healing abilities to supplement her training, it would still take a lot of patience and time. Of which, time was in limited supply and wasn’t stocked in her favor. But even if she had both, she’d have to contend with the reality that she may hit the physical limit of Bethany’s body sooner than what she was used to with her old body with the differences of anatomy and physical capabilities.

The thought made her uneasy, and immediately she pushed it away as she couldn’t take the time to consider it yet. She’d deal with it _if_ it got to that point. For now, she couldn’t let it get her down. There were more important things to focus on, like making sure she was ready for tonight and everyone was safe before that.

She raised a knee to the chest, draped both arms around it and rested the chin on it. Eyes looked below from her vantage point and scanned the area to observe what was happening with the preparations.

Individuals, pairs and groups of various sizes with items, small and large, trickled into the chantry.

A young boy – Bevin, she guessed – ran ahead with a young woman – who must be Kaitlyn – right at his heels, their parents looking on them with sad, loving smiles.

A man dressed finer and radiating more authority than all others – Bann Teagan, she assumed, though she couldn’t see him properly without her Eye – spoke to Murdock beside a pair of fully-armored knights as they watched a line of men shoot arrows at wooden dummies.

Alder smiled at Bella as he helped carry a barrel with one arm, which prompted the barmaid’s smile that showed her appreciation of the display. Iris rolled her eyes.

The woodcutter she remembered meeting from her panic attack carried a stack of logs to the outside of the blacksmith where Valena waited outside and waved to him.

Dahlia, in the center of a circle of scruffy children, bent over and listening to one tell her a secret, then stood straight and smiled as she handed each child a coin.

Mother Hannah held the hand of a pregnant woman as she guided her into the chantry, the woman’s husband stood by her side, arm around her shoulder.

Iris took in all these details and moments…and took an instant to forget the chaos and enjoy them. She let it sink in that this was the world she lived in now – a thought she didn’t allow often given her activities. Many times, it still didn’t feel real, but every day she woke up in her bed in Dahlia’s home was one more day she believed. It helped that there was so much familiar to what she knew but there was also more than the video game depicted. Then again…she was slowly growing out of thinking about the reality around her based on the game. Yes, the game was still a great guide for her actions but…

The people were real. They smiled, cried, cared for one another, and showed resilience in the face of hardship. The locations were real. The village moved and changed daily according to its people, yet somehow lasted as strong as the wood and stone. The events were real, and it sank in that they had all the repercussions of changing the lives of so many.

Thedas was real. And this reality was more…

Dangerous? Threatening? Beautiful? Vast? Exciting? Scary? Breathtaking? Frightening? Resilient? What word could even fit what she had experienced so far? Was there even one?

…it was just…more _alive._

Yes. It was alive. It was real. And it was now hers.

She _had_ to do what she could to survive and help. With her power, she knew she could do _so much_.

She breathed in deeply and exhaled, invigorated with the drive to get back to work. From the edge of her vision, she caught sight of Alder waving at her from beside Dahlia with the children around them both, bouncing and smiling despite their ragged state. The sight made her smile in turn as she glanced to the side and planned her route down…

…and in the next moment, executed the plan with little warning. She took two steps back then built up momentum to slide down the side of the roof before slowing slightly, launching off near the end and flipped off the roof to land in a roll to stop near the group below.

The children cheered, and Alder scoffed.

“Show off,” he said with an amused smile as he crossed his arms. Dahlia chuckled lightly beside him as she called the attention of the children with two claps before they could swarm Iris. For this, the traceur was thankful. As much as she wanted to make them happy, the attention was enough for the day.

Iris dusted herself off as she approached the mercenary. “I made them smile, so I would say it’s worth it.”

“Any break from this horror is worth its weight in gold,” he said as he looked on the children as Dahlia ushered them into the chantry, holding two by the hand on either side.

“Laughter and smiles weigh nothing, Seeker,” she quipped. “but their value stands nonetheless.” A thought clicked into Iris’ mind as she watched their retreating forms. “I don’t see their parents anywhere. Are they…?”

“Blight orphans. Not all are so lucky for other relatives to take them in.”

“And the chantry?”

“A place to stay and learn, but none to care for them when they’re undermanned.”

“That…makes sense.”

“Luckily Dahlia started the kitchen then passed it on to her niece, so they’ll be fed and cared for.”

Iris made an affirmative noise as she recalled the coin distribution from earlier. Only Dahlia would be so kind as to think of charity to Blight orphans in the middle of preparations for an attack. She wondered if she would take in any of them as another ‘stray’ but it didn’t look to be the case.

As Iris was about to wonder of the criteria for Dahlia’s strays, Alder brought down a hand onto a shoulder and steered her out of the area. Iris resisted swatting him away in jest and went along with his guidance.

“Come on then. That’s enough rest. We’ll need to get your ready for tonight.”

Iris made a noise in affirmation. “I’m guessing a rushed course on weapons training?”

He nodded in confirmation then dropped his voice low to avoid eavesdropping. “You can pull the information from me on the dagger and bolas while I show you the basic stances. We’ll see about practicing what you pull after.”

“Oh? No knives today?”

“Throwing knives are tricky for a moving target so we’ll go back to them later,” he explained as they neared their intended practice area. His lips curled into a wry smirk as he gestured for her to unsheathe her dagger. “If all else fails, stick them with the sharp end. For all your strange lack of training in _anything_ , you can do _that_ much, can’t you?”

She really wanted to throw the dagger at him. She didn’t actually do it, but she _really_ wanted to.

* * *

_“Careful.”_

_“I’m sorry.”_

The second wave was less difficult to deal with compared to the first as pitfalls and spiked barriers took care of more undead, and more volunteers joined as part of the militia to fight for their home. It wasn’t an _easy_ battle by any means, especially when they dealt with a relentless enemy, but on that night, the line didn’t break, the men stayed strong and motivated through the fight, and Iris noted that Alder and Dahlia had to do less of…whatever they did the previous night.

She made a note to ask them about that when this was over. Iris was aware that her family was more than what they seemed, but she wondered now how many secrets they truly kept from her for them to be joking and sweet in one moment and in the next, slicing open a corpse’s throat with a surprising amount of strength. The contrast was jarring but she supposed it made sense in the context of the world. The question then became how deep their well of secrets ran. Would—

“Hawkeye!” a shout broke her out of her thoughts with a jolt as her vision snapped back to the body in time to see an arrow embedded into the wall beside her, thrilling to a stop from the force of the hit. She froze in place, blinking at the sight of the feathered end a few inches away from her face.

“Ha! Unflinching in the face of death!” Murdock said with a smile as he pivoted and shot another arrow at an incoming corpse. “Good on you!”

She only stared at Murdock’s retreating form, blinking in confusion and trying to comprehend where the arrow came from and how it got there.

Iris made sure to not lose herself in her thoughts again when combat was involved.

The day that followed was another round of preparations – more traps and walls, more practice and more caring for the injured. It was going well, all things considered. Maybe _too_ well for some, as there were those among the townsfolk that took the night’s success as confirmation that the undead threat was dealt with and a sign that it would end soon. Some of the more infuriating individuals were even arrogant enough to return to their homes or removing some defenses, but as no one could stop them or make them see reason, authorities could only wish them the best. Thankfully, most didn’t follow this example stayed put with defenses intact.

Alder grumbled about the stubbornness and arrogance of those who didn’t put their lives on the line as they practiced. Iris did what she could to help him blow off some steam in their sparring, but as the body wasn’t used to the movements yet, she wasn’t at the level he needed in a sparring partner. Still, it didn’t stop her from trying as she pushed herself further and harder.

At the end of the session, Alder sighed in tiredness as he stood beside Iris who was on all fours on the ground, panting and struggling to regain her breath. He approached her, knelt beside her and held out a hand. She glanced at him and took it, and in one fluid motion, he helped her sit in a more comfortable position.

He seemed to wait for her to take a few more deep breaths before speaking.

“Thank you for trying,” Alder said with a softer smile. “Caught what you were doing, but it would only be punishment to try and keep up with me.”

“I…see that…now…” Iris said between breaths, making a mental note to heal herself with magic later. She inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly and forced her breathing to steady. Eyes met his in a smile. “Though it’s the thought that counts, doesn’t it?”

He laughed weakly. “Yes, it does.” He moved to stand from his crouch. “Stay here. I’ll see if Dahlia has any more pastries.”

When he returned with one, Iris was never more thankful for a sweet in her life.

In their confidence, people expected the night to come to be more of the same fighting, the same enemy and the same outcome. However, those with a keen eye, magical or not, noticed a change. It was initially subtle, as the number of undead seemed to increase and fight harder from the previous night as predicted, but Iris noted a small group that broke away from the main force as they exited the castle and disappeared. Her instinct immediately told her to track them. She told the others about it and they said to worry about the main battle for now. She almost defied those orders but didn’t. So, she kept her Eye over the main skirmish and acted the scout they needed, reporting the on the overview of the battlefield.

She regretted not following her instinct as the group reappeared in another area of the village from the water and began to wreak havoc. Iris made a show of running ahead but tracked them quicker with her Eye and relayed their location as quickly as possible. A small force of knights was then dispatched to deal with them before they did any lasting damage. However, they were too late. The undead force had broken through the family home and slaughtered who they found inside. The knights arrived in time to kill them only before they moved on to another home, but the damage was done.

They had casualties. Casualties that could have been prevented if they weren’t so complacent.

The day that followed felt heavy with the news of the deaths spreading. The seeds of fear were planted, but those in the chantry were quick to quell them. It didn’t _kill_ the whispers that spread among the town, but it was enough to quiet them for that time.

With more injured, no end to the attacks in sight and forces growing weary with the nightly attacks, Bann Teagan met with Murdock and Ser Perth to discuss the next courses of action, and requested the presence of Alder, Dahlia and Iris given their contributions.

Iris finally got a good look at Bann Teagan during the meeting and was a little disappointed to see that the man looked to be closer to what the Trespasser DLC showed than Dragon Age Origins. It wasn’t to say that he was unattractive by any means, but his charm appeared to be more rough and rugged than clean and boyish. Everything else about him showcased his status as a noble as a stark contrast to everyone she met thus far.

“Those wily bastards are beginning to use strategy,” Murdock grumbled in frustration and spat out what he said next in disgust. “They’re _flanking_ , my lord!”

Alder frowned at him. “Hate to state the obvious as a reminder, but we all know demons aren’t _mindless_. They may _look_ like beasts, but they’re _smart_.”

“Then we cannot allow them to gain the upper hand,” Bann Teagan said, diplomatically then turned to Alder. “Would you have any solutions to propose, Seeker? I assume you’ve dealt with similar creatures in the past.”

“Ex-Seeker, my lord,” Alder corrected with a smile. “Demon hunting isn’t my expertise but would say the best course would be to divide the forces. We cannot leave them uncontested.”

Ser Perth spoke up immediately. “With all due respect, I say that it is out of the question, my lord. Our forces are spread thin enough as it stands.”

“Then we destroy the main force then handle the damned flank later!” Murdock said with conviction.

Bann Teagan’s eyes narrowed at the mayor. “And risk being outmaneuvered by the monsters and losing _more_ lives? I think not.”

Their discussion went on for a while as they continued to consider options, one after the other, but were rebuffed by someone else within the group. Iris and Dahlia stayed off to the side and listened with the old woman occasionally nodding in agreement to some thoughts, points and suggestions, and Iris only took it as an opportunity to learn. She only had a vague understanding of military strategy from video games, so this was a great chance to study firsthand.

After a lengthy discussion, Bann Teagan gave the final verdict.

“I’m afraid we have no choice, Ser Perth,” he said turning to the knight. “We will proceed with the first suggestion of dividing the forces. We should have more knights arriving soon, but for now, they will be required to move in smaller units to handle any ambush that may come.”

“…I understand, my lord,” Ser Perth conceded with a bow. “We will do what we can.”

Then, to her surprise, the Bann regarded Iris with a gesture. “As this will be the strategy, I would like to request that Hawkeye provide further scouting support for the troops.” Iris blinked at his words, caught off-guard by the situation. She didn’t think that Murdock or anyone would mention her to the Bann.

Teagan turned to her fully with a small smile. “I have heard of your good work, my lady. I am sorry to place this burden on your shoulders, but your role will be more essential in the coming night than it once was,” he explained with all the charisma of one trained in diplomacy. “We will need eyes on the enemy, and your skills and agility are exactly what we require in the wider battlefield.” He smiled. “I hope you will agree to aid us in this time. We cannot let our troops be caught unaware.”

Iris could feel the nervousness at the edge of her mind but pushed it away as she felt the weight of the request. They needed her. They needed her skills. She could be useful and had to oblige.

She responded with a shallow bow to the man. “I understand, ser. I will do my best.”

The awaited night crept in with more tension than the last. Spiked barriers stood tall in strategic locations and set ablaze, bathing the area around it in light for defense and visibility. Pits were dug in other locations as traps to slow down the enemy. Men stood their ground by the village entrance, ready to face their foe, and a small contingent of knights roamed the areas within the village, in case of any surprise attacks. Iris took her spot, perching on the closest building to the village entrance but ready to run in case she needed to scout other locations. They were as ready as they would ever be for the undead that would come…

…but they weren’t prepared for what had arrived.

Iris reported a force of forty walking corpses marching to the village in the cloud of green and black. A small contingent of ten broke off from the larger group and moved to flank the village from the water. This time, Iris took the initiative and followed the smaller group with her Eye, leaving the main battlefield with only Bethany’s borrowed eyes for their scouting efforts. She cursed her power limitations but kept watching on both fronts, switching out between both views often and running between pre-determined points to make a show of her scouting. It was making her mildly dizzy and tired to do so, but she pressed on to provide her support.

As the group was getting used to the movements of the undead by now, it was easier for the force to spot cues even without Iris’ aid. However, this only helped to a point as the fourth night of battle was undeniably wearing down the men. Most still fought with the drive to protect their home, but as the first militia man fell to carelessness from the exhaustion, Iris could feel the morale among the group trend downward. The timing was dangerous as morale was as critical to battle as strategy, for low morale led to hesitation; hesitation led to death; death led to lower morale in the cycle that spelled trouble as more and more men fell that night.

What was worse was the painful awareness that more men would _continue_ to fall if they kept this up. They were in a precarious situation that became more dangerous as time passed. She knew that this wasn’t a war of how many battles they could win each night, but it was a battle of attrition against an enemy that could rise again. It didn’t help that they weren’t the ordinary mindless zombies that she knew from popular movies and video games. These were undead warriors possessed by demons with the drive to kill and had the intelligence to use tactics against them.

They were outmatched.

And the situation was becoming desperate.

Desperation was a double-edged sword. It could make them fight harder, but it could also make them fear for their lives and run. Both happened in the battle as many combatants found their second wind and fought harder than ever, but some also gave in to fear, slowing movements to cower and run towards the safety of the village and their homes.

As militia turned into deserters and the enemy continued to push, the line fell. The force morphed from a somewhat organized front into a frenzied skirmish as they fought their hardest to keep the enemy away from the village, but some still broke through.

Iris, for all her observing, was also affected by the frenzy. Panic started to set in as she ran from point to point, and she had less to fight it when the situation continued to devolve. Shouts echoed in the night, answered by blade clashes and undead roars. Men screamed in pain, bones crunched under the weight of weapons and wood crashed as the undead started to invade homes. The urge to find Alder and Dahlia in the chaos was strong, but she knew she couldn’t risk distracting them in the fight. She was scared but more than anything, she was tired of it. She didn’t want to hear it anymore, yet she couldn’t stop it. She hated that she could only watch on as it all happened, hating herself for feeling useless, but not knowing what else to do or if she could even _do_ any—

Then, her thoughts were interrupted as she heard a woman’s scream cut through the night from behind the row of houses. She turned to the direction of the scream as it sounded…pained, desperate and…

She willed her Eye to the area and eyes turned silver as she switched her view. In the space, she saw the smaller force battle the detachment of roaming knights as they fought with all their strength to keep the undead away from the villagers that remained barricaded in their homes. With the sight of the undead though, many of them changed strategies and opted to flee, but she noticed one woman struggling to break from the grasp of a man – militia deserter, she noted – who dragged her through the streets. Tears streamed from her face as she screamed, distant audio synching with the live feed she saw as she tried and failed to move towards a house.

Iris switched out from the view and without a second thought, legs carried her to the area by jumping through roofs before she could stop herself. Her mind only focused on the shouting and sight of the woman.

Something was wrong. Something _had_ to be wrong for her to seemingly want to go _towards_ the threat.

Once she neared, the screams morphed into shouts that turned into conversation as she could finally make sense of what both parties were saying.

“No! Please! You don’t understand! He’s still there! My boy is still _inside_!”

“ _Stop_ this! There’s no helping him now!! It would be suicide to go back!”

“No! No! NO!” the woman wailed into the night.

Iris felt her heart breaking and drive to help building. Fear threatened to creep in in tandem as she recalled the undead dangerously close by, but it was a quiet whisper against the shout within her to assist. Eyes scanned around the area to confirm a fact she knew: she was the _only one_ who could help the woman right then and there. She didn’t want to sit there and do _nothing_.

She could do something regardless if it was small. She could do… _something_. She would not be helpless.

The body acted without another thought. She jumped from roof to roof to move near the area where the woman continued to struggle against the deserter and stopped to perch on the closest roof to the pair.

“Where is he?” she called out to her.

The woman started and looked up at Iris. Without hesitation, she cried out with desperation clear in her voice, “In the second floor, under the bed!! Please help him!”

Iris hesitated for a second, not wanting to make any promises she couldn’t keep. So, she went instead with measured honesty.

“I’ll try,” Iris said with a nod.

Then without another word, she immediately dropped off the side of the roof, clung on to the edge for an instant before she swung into the room in a single smooth movement and landed with a quiet thud, crouched low on the wooden floor. Eyes scanned the room and upon spotting the bed, tilted the head to check under it.

Eyes met small scared ones as a small boy looked on her and started to sniffle. She quickly but softly hushed him.

“Don’t be afraid,” she said sweetly, reaching out with a covered hand. The child flinched and retreated further into his hiding spot.

That wouldn’t do. Iris pulled her hand back slightly and tried a different tactic. “Please don’t be scared,” she said, maintaining the soft tone. “I’m only here to take you back to your mother.”

At the mention of his mother, he peered at her from where he crouched. “Mama?”

Good, she had his attention.

“Yes, your mother sent me. She misses you very much and has been crying for you all night,” she stated slowly for him to understand, hand slowly reaching out to him again. “Please…if you come out now, I can take you to her.”

She could see the fear and want for his mother war in his eyes for a few seconds. But then, the desire for comfort and love won out as he reached for the outstretched hand. Iris quickly but gently took him into the arms, holding him against the chest and a shoulder.

Okay, she had the boy. Now, to leave the home before any undead arrived at the house. Eyes scanned the room to consider options. She couldn’t exit from where she came in without the use of the arms and a jump like that would endanger the child. She didn’t think there’d be any secret passages in a normal home, so that left the way down the stairs and out the closest exit.

Iris secured the child in the arms, supporting him around his waist and holding his head as she quietly but quickly stepped down from the second floor…

…only to stop in her tracks before she could take the last step down the ladder as she heard the familiar groan of the undead. Heart leapt and raced in a panic. She immediately stuck to the closest surface, trying to avoid being seen. Luckily for her, the creature’s back was turned to her and divider was placed by the base of the ladder obscuring her from its view.

That explained why the man didn’t want the mother to retrieve her son and Iris felt the fool for not wondering sooner. It was so _obvious_ but—she mentally cursed herself for focusing on playing hero in her panic rather than something as basic as _thinking things through_. She continued to stick close to the divider’s wall and attempted to peek around the corner.

The undead turned around to reveal its form, bathed in the moonlight.

Eyes widened. Her mind slowed to process what she saw.

Skin like waxed paper stretched too thin, eyes like sunken pits, its face forever frozen in a contorted smile, grinning at something unseen in the darkness. One leg reduced to nothing but darkened bone, the other with chunks of skin missing and more threatening to fall. Torso covered by rags, cuts and scratches oozing ichor decorated the front and back. One arm stayed limp on its side, broken yet twitching, as the other held onto a large club stained with liquid she could only assume was the blood her comrades.

This was what they had been fighting.

It was a monster. A _real_ monster. And it was _here_.

She stilled. Fear spiked. Panic surged. Her mind fought it instinctively and she forced her breathing to level. Don’t. Don’t. _Don’t_. She couldn’t afford this. She had to get out, she couldn’t _panic_. Not now. Not here. She wouldn’t die to them.

Eyes flicked towards the broken-down door ripped from its hinges, leading to the outside with the light from two moons pouring into the room. The exit was close. So _close_. It was right there. All she had to do sneak her way through it. She took a few more calming breaths as she recalled her training with Alder. This was where his lessons would come in handy. Time to make like Snake then. She would’ve loved to have a cardboard box though.

She took in a silent but slow deep breath, exhaling just as quietly. She secured the child in the arms…

…and then took a quiet step forward, crouching low to keep herself out of eye level.

One step to the exit. Then another, and another.

Iris kept low and kept walking in a straight line to her escape as the undead shambled away from her direction in the dining area.

Slowly, she was moving. It was _painfully_ slow, but she was managing.

Eyes darted to the door that was a handful of steps away and then to the undead at the other end of the room, its back turned to her again. It didn’t notice her yet and she would take the chance given to flee. She quickened her pace slightly, the door only a few steps away.

She could do it. She could make it. Heart pounded. Tension rose. Grip unconsciously tightened protectively, and it caused the toddler to squirm from the strength, but she gently held his head, and impulsively hushed him…

…causing the undead to whip its head in her direction. Eyes widened as she stilled, frozen in fear.

Skin pulled taut like waxed paper and threatening to break, empty sockets with a faint orange glow, its face still frozen in that twisted smile, and now grinning _at her_. It took an unsteady step towards her, the movement swaying and knocking its head to swing the other side. Her blood ran cold in fear and dread, the reality of the situation sinking into her with each step it took.

It stepped closer again, dragging its bloodied weapon, leaving a smeared trail in its wake.

Regret filled her with the panic as she questioned herself, her decision and all that led to this. Why? What happened? Why did she do that? Why did she—Why had she done this? Why did she play hero? She _wasn’t_ a hero. She wasn’t the protagonist to this story, and she _knew_ it.

This wasn’t a video game. It was _more_ than the video game. It was real. The monsters were _real_. The horrors were _real_. The nightmares were _real._ They were horrifying, brutal, merciless and…

…they could end her life at any moment.

Thedas was _real_. And this reality was more frightening than any nightmare she could ever conceive. It was a living merciless world that could wish her dead. It was alive and real and hers now…but it came the possibility of dying _again_ with a death more gruesome and more _painful_ than her last.

It lurched, no, dragged itself across the floor one limb at a time, jaw unhinging and soulless glowing eyes boring into her.

She wanted to leave. She wanted to move but _couldn’t_. Even with her power, she was helpless in the face of death.

It dragged itself closer and brought the scent of rotted flesh as it stopped to stand before her. She released a shuddered breath as her mind stilled and blanked. Legs gave out from under her as she met the floor with a thud. She was vaguely aware of the grip on the child tightening again as he whimpered and started to cry, with the undead continuing to look on as if deciding what to do with them, and how to end them.

Iris blinked away the tears that fell and body numbing from the fear, heart sinking in resignation.

This was it. This was how she would die again.

At least this time, she would know the face of her killer…but she refused to die in a vulnerable moment. Not again. _Never_ again.

In a small final act of recklessness, eyes met its sunken pits of faint orange in defiance as she waited for the blow that would mean her death.

But it only stood before her, weapon in hand and still by its side.

One second.

Then two.

Then three.

Seconds ticked away. But nothing.

It simply stood there. Nothing.

Not a twitch beyond the arm, not a move beyond staring. _Nothing_.

Iris held her breath and stared, anxiety gripped her heart as questions raced through her mind. What was happening? Why was it just _standing_ there? What was it _doing_? Why wasn’t it _killing_ her? _Why_ wasn’t it doing anything? Why? _Why? WHY—_

Then the sound of metal running through its target cut the silence of the scene and panic of her thoughts. She felt the ichor splash onto her face before registering the sight of the sword that sliced through the undead before her. She didn’t move from the spot even as the corpse fell, lifeless and gone. Her mind blanked. Her body stayed frozen at the horror of what she experienced. She was vaguely aware that two pairs of hands – both strong but one firm and one softer – were around her. She heard her name called, but the voices felt distant. There were people beside her but felt so far away as she stayed within her bubble, numb in fear and helplessness. She vaguely picked up their words repeated again and again as they led her out of the home and as the mother took the child from the arms.

The battle has ended, they said. The night was done.

It was over. It was _over_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is my take on the breakdown of the days leading up to "A Village under Siege" and "the Attack at Nightfall" events. IMO, this is why Redcliffe found themselves in such a desperate situation and _needed_ the Warden and party to turn the tide, because you can't reasonably siege a _castle_ from the low ground, so it feels more like the demon was playing with them and biding its time. We can reasonably assume it wasn't in any rush since it could overwhelm and kill them at any point if it had enough forces to attack it for _days_. The defensive forces they had consisted of mostly untrained militia and very few actual knights, given that most were spread around in Ferelden looking for the Urn of Sacred Ashes, so the progression went as written for it to _make sense_.
> 
> For Iris' panic response, this was the first time she had ever been faced with a horrific thing that would try to kill her in this world. As much as she's conquered fear from falling, running and flying, those aren't supernatural entities that can tear her limb from limb. Fear is real. Fear would create one of 3 responses: fight, flight or freeze. As much as we'd love to think we'd fight, freezing is more likely, flight is less likely and fight is only there when the response is trained or if you're that type of person. @_@
> 
> And that's all I'll say on that. XD


	10. Chapter 10

A day dawning in Redcliffe used to mean something different. It used to be about finding the little mage and Dahlia making breakfast in the morning. It used to have Iris training the afternoon away and watching her do her best while also laughing at her expense. It used to be about having a drink in the tavern with a few friends and doing a little work on the side.

But now, another day dawning in Redcliffe meant another day of preparation for what remained of the militia and knights. They couldn’t do much more of this. The enemy gained the upper hand the prior night in demotivating the village and managing more casualties – warriors and civilians alike – than any night since.

It was no secret among the leaders. They knew the enemy would act and it would act soon. With the steady growth in the force sent to the village, they knew that this would be the worst night and likely their _final_ night to make their stand.

And where were they? Many people short from deaths and desertion. Villagers scared to their wits’ end if not already dead. Pits filled with bodies with more coming from both sides. Few good spiked barriers left that they could set ablaze. But he left Murdock and Bann Teagan to worry about that. None of the logistics were Alder’s concern.

No, his concern was Iris. Or Hawkeye, as people started to call her now that she had become the talk of the town for her skill as a scout in the dark and somehow _surviving_ an encounter with a corpse while rescuing a child. He didn’t know how or why that monster was simply _staring_ at her like it did, but he didn’t think he’d get an explanation. It was like when they first found her in Lothering and they already knew that she was a special find by that point, but they didn’t realize _how_ special until he caught her using magic whether from the Fade or her own.

And so, he learned with each day and discovery to no longer be surprised when it involved Iris. Anything that happened _to_ her and _around_ her was as unpredictable as the weather.

Today was no different but it was more understandable.

While the town talked of her in a positive light with the ‘heroics’ she showcased, Iris saw it differently. When he found her that night, she was shaken – almost like the day she first walked into town and broke down. But this time was different. She wasn’t shaken from fear alone, but also anger directed at herself. He saw from her training how she hated to be powerless and as a result, drove herself to find and master any skills she could use. But then came last night as a moment when she could’ve done something – run, fight, anything – in the face of an enemy but _didn’t_. And she was mad at herself for it. He knew the feeling too well. The anger carried over from that evening to the day and made worse by the talks and smiles that were _supposed_ to compliment and uplift, but only reminded her of her perceived failure.

He frowned as he watched her land on the ground during their sparring session for the nth time that day. They had only started half an hour ago, but it was already obvious that her heart wasn’t in the training and her mind was somewhere else entirely. Alder sighed as he twirled his dagger and deftly sheathed it before crouching in front of Iris as she panted and stayed where she was sitting on the ground.

“What do you need?” he asked softly, the question a reminder of the last time she needed help.

She took in a few breaths and he noted that her hand clenched before she answered. “I need to get away.”

He stood up and held out a hand to her. “Then away we shall go.”

Her eyes finally softened for the first time that day as she took his hand.

* * *

Alder took them further out in the forest than usual. Given Iris said that she wanted to get away, he wanted to take her somewhere he was sure was safe but far enough from the town that they wouldn’t bump into anyone. As such, he took her to a small clearing surrounded by trees and with many natural ledges and rock formations nearby. He knew she loved those from their usual training area, but the new and unfamiliar environment provided her a chance at a new challenge.

When she looked upon the clearing, her eyes brightened. He smiled as he could already see her mind working as she scanned the environment.

“Thought you’d like it,” he said with a grin and gestured at the scenery. “Fancy a run then?”

“Yes,” she breathed out happily before breaking out into a run between two trees.

The next hour or so was spent with Iris jumping, running, diving and rolling through the area in whichever way she desired as Alder stayed close by and watched. These acrobatic feats were simple at first, as if to allow her body to get used to the movements, but then they ramped up in difficulty – whether by distance, speed or height – as time went on.

He pushed off the tree he leaned on to follow her as she leapt from one tree to another in jumps that tested her precision. He removed a throwing knife from the bandolier across his chest and started to casually flip it in his hand to give him something to do as he watched her.

He smiled with fondness as her eyes brightened when she seemed to land a particularly wide gap between two trees. It was a sight, really. Since fully healing, the mage heartily applied herself to her craft – parkour, she called it? – and practiced often on top of the basic training he provided. Her abilities in pulling information and familiarity with how to move made the training progress undeniably quicker, and even if she was still quite a long way from becoming a rogue, she was a far cry from the quiet, broken girl that they found in Lothering.

He smiled. All seemed to be going according to plan.

He caught the knife in mid-air by the handle and flipped it again as he leisurely followed Iris’ form while she continued to leap from tree to tree in a circle, speeding up as she went.

It’s been a couple weeks since they found her. Iris, another young girl who was down on her luck, attacked by darkspawn. They took her out of danger and took care of her as per the usual. She seemed to be smarter than the other strays, which was a double-edged sword, but as Dahlia liked her enough and saw potential, she was kept on.

He thought this would be routine. And yet, she proved to be one of the most unique mages that Alder had ever seen – not only in what she could _do_ , but also in that she more suited to be a _rogue_ than a traditional mage, making her a well-rounded and potentially unpredictable fighter. She really was quite the find.

But as much as they wanted to take their time with her, they didn’t have the luxury or opportunity with all that was going on. Based on news he received, the Blight was upon them, so the usual timetable had to move up for them to flee Ferelden on time in case things went badly – to Orlais perhaps? It would be nice to see Ianthe again. It didn’t help that other issues were going on around the country with the mage trouble at Kinloch Hold, Teryn Loghain’s betrayal against the crown _and_ Grey Wardens _on top_ of usurping the throne, rumors of trouble with the Dalish and now, the current condition of Redcliffe Village, as if they didn’t already have Arl Eamon to think about.

Alder sighed as he caught the knife a final time before placing it back in his bandolier to focus on Iris as she vaulted over several obstacles in succession, running towards the main road. He noted that she was lost in her thoughts again based on the look in her eyes but still seemed to be enjoying. He couldn’t help but smile. This suited her better. He hated the look on her eyes last night. If Alder was honest, he was glad that he could care about Iris this easily and thankful that she was easy to get along with – both for him and Dahlia. She was the first in a while that he seemed to enjoy spending time with after Clematis left for Antiva, and she almost reminded him of—

He shook his head to keep the thought away and refocused on the mage, just in time to watch her flying out of the tree line and into the main road…

…and into a group of passing travelers below.

His eyes widened in alarm.

“Iris!” Alder called out as he ran after her and approached the tree line, as she landed with a thud and exclamations of pain from both her and the man she landed on.

“Sten, we aren’t under attack. Put that sword away!” A huff. “Maker’s breath! Where did _you_ come from?”

Alder wasted little time as he slid down the incline to the road. A mabari barked loudly beside the dark-haired woman who spoke – blue armor and a sword strapped to her back – as she approached the two bodies in a heap. The woman bent down to speak to her companion under Iris’ form. “Alistair! Are you alright under there? Are you hurt?”

A groan sounded from the blonde man as he tried to sit up but couldn’t with Iris still draped over his back and clutching his shield, pinning him in place.

“Someone get the name of the druffalo that hit me,” he groaned out, as he flopped over with arms outstretched.

Alder leaned over to take Iris by the shoulders, but immediately saw that her eyes were silver as she stared at the ancient writing on the shield and gripped it tightly. He mentally cursed. This _had_ to happen at the _worst possible time._ He quickly but casually pulled the cowl’s hood further over her head, hiding her face from view, and waited for her eyes to normalize. In caution, he subtly peered over his shoulder at the group to make sure no one saw.

In a quick cursory scan of the group, he noted three women, two men and a mabari. One man caught his attention for his size and—Alder looked at him again in surprise. Was he a _Qunari_? A hornless Qunari at that.

The woman with dark hair and revealing clothing scoffed from his left and Alder eyed the staff strapped to her back with suspicion. “Ah, with that nonsense pouring from his mouth,” she said with derision. “I believe he is perfectly fine.”

“Well, this was certainly unexpected,” another heavily accented female voice said from his right. His head whipped around, and he came face to face with a red-headed woman in light armor. He likely would’ve been shocked by her silent movement and sudden presence beside him if he wasn’t already so used to Dahlia. “Is your friend alright?”

Alder took the chance to check on Iris, assuring that his body obstructed the view of anyone else from seeing her face. He resisted breathing a sigh of relief as he saw that her grip relaxed, and her eyes returned to amber. He promptly but gently guided the mage off the man she landed on and helped her stand as her legs seemed to be unsteady.

As he supported her by her shoulders beside him, he regarded the group and threw them a friendly smile. “She’s fine,” he said reassuringly. “Wanted a run through the woods after having a rough time in the last few days, but seems she got careless is all.”

“I see. I’m sorry to hear that, ser,” the dark-haired woman with the mabari spoke again. With his focus not solely on Iris, he finally took in the details of her clothing. It wasn’t just _any_ blue armor – it was Grey Warden armor with the insignia proudly on her torso. His eyes widened in surprise for a fraction of a second – weren’t they all supposedly _dead?_ Or could she have been _the_ Grey Warden he recalled going around in Lothering before it fell? – but then he quickly changed his expression to a neutral one as the Warden continued speaking. “Though it may be rude of me to ask, was it caused by the undead that attack at night? We’ve heard the news and I assume that you’re both from Redcliffe Village?”

“You could say that,” Alder said with an easy smile as Iris straightened but kept her head down and moved her hand to hold on to Alder’s arm. His eyes flicked to her for a moment before continuing to speak to the Warden. “If you’re to ask about the state of the town, it’d be best to see it for yourself.” He gestured to the road that led to Redcliffe. “Speak to Tomas when you arrive. I’m sure they’d love to hear a Grey Warden has come to help.”

The Warden brightened as the man Iris landed on – _another_ Warden, no less – stepped beside her. “Thank you. You’ve been most helpful, ser.”

“You can do without the ‘ser’, please. Too formal. Name’s Alder,” he said with a friendly smile. He inclined his head at Iris. “This is—”

“Hawkeye,” she said quickly, an unsteady undertone in her voice and cutting him off as she stepped out of his hold on her that his eyes widened in surprise again. Iris raised her head with a steady gaze on the Warden, but he noted that she didn’t let go of his arm. At the corner of his eye, he noticed a few reactions – raised eyebrow, furrowed brow, glare of suspicion and questioning gaze – from the Warden’s companions as they took in her appearance. The Warden, in the meantime, kept her neutral but pleasant demeanor.

“And I apologize for my carelessness. It won’t happen again.” Iris gave a quick shallow bow. “Now, please excuse me, my lady, but we’d best be off.”

“What—”

“Hold on—”

But before either the Warden or Alder could protest further or ask any questions, Iris quickly pulled the mercenary away by the arm she held onto, leaving the group behind them in the road. It was one surprise after another today. He allowed himself to be pulled until the group was out of earshot, seeing as Iris was determined to leave. He had never seen her like this and would believe that she had her reasons, but he wouldn’t go along with them blindly.

“Iris, slow down,” Alder said as he pulled his arm and halted their progress strategically positioning beside a large section of foliage to cover them from view. “What happened?”

“We need to return home,” Iris said definitively as she faced him fully, intending to pull him along again.

He crossed his arms in response. “Why?”

Iris huffed in irritation. “I’ll explain later.” Her eyes sent her plea. “Please. This is urgent.”

Alder’s brow furrowed as he held out his hand, switching tactics. “Compromise. You can talk and explain on the way.”

Iris hesitated but then sighed and acquiesced. “Fine. That’s fair.”

They promptly resumed their brisk walk back to the village and he allowed Iris to dictate the quicker pace. As he fell into step beside her, he dropped the volume of his voice in case of any eavesdropping. “Now, you can start by telling me what you saw.”

Iris hesitated again, brow furrowing in consideration. “I saw…the end of the Blight,” she said in a careful, measured tone. Alder’s eyes widened. He didn’t expect _that_. “The Grey Wardens – _those_ Grey Wardens specifically – _will_ end it.”

“Hold on. You saw _them_ end the Blight? How? Did this vision include _how_?”

“Yes. It was the most detailed vision I’ve had to date,” Iris said with a weight to her words. “So, you may forgive me for the ‘carelessness’ if this was the result.” He huffed in laughter. If she was already joking, at least he could be sure she was fine. Her eyes turned serious as she continued. “I saw _one_ path how to get there against many decisions to reach it. It’ll be a difficult road, so I’ll _need_ to help them stay the course.”

He frowned. “Not liking the sound of that.” Especially when it had Iris involving herself in a monumental _and_ dangerous feat. He didn’t like it _at all_. “But let’s humor you. How?”

“I have an idea to start. Though…you might think me mad.”

He smirked at the familiar words. After all they’ve been through, he doubted it, but he’s been surprised before.

How bad could it be _this_ time?

* * *

Alder took the thought back. After hearing Iris’ explanation, he _definitely_ thought her mad and this plan was decidedly _very_ bad.

And yet here he was going along with it. He sighed. Maybe he was becoming mad as well.

“Are you certain you want to do this?” he asked with hands on his hips as she checked over her clothing to assure that all aspects of it were secure.

“For the last time, _yes_ ,” she answered with exasperation, yet her tone held a smile as she removed her gloves. “Has anyone ever told you that you worry too much?”

He cracked a smile at that. “Once or twice. Had good reason to worry in all those times.” She handed him the gloves and he placed it in his pack. “Like now.”

“And _that_ is precisely why I’ve asked for your help,” Iris said as she pulled her hood further over her face to cover eyes to switch to view through her Eye. He was annoyed that he couldn’t fault her for that logic. And better that she _had_ help that did something this reckless on her own. He waited for a moment for her to speak again with her observations. “They should be arriving shortly.”

Alder’s brow furrowed as he gave Iris a look conveying his concern. Her eyes turned amber again and she looked at him with a smile in their depths.

He sighed. There was no changing her mind then. So instead, he gave her a smile. “Stay out of sight.”

Her hand raised with a flourish to active her power, putting it around herself in an aura. “As long as you stay their distraction.”

He smirked. He could do that.

And the next moment he blinked, Iris was nowhere in sight. He knew she was still standing beside him by the light tap on his arm, but she stayed silent to complete the illusion. He moved out of the small section between houses they convened in and moved into the chantry courtyard.

His eyes scanned the area and immediately fixed on a training dummy that no one was using. That would do nicely to kill time and put him in the right mind for this. He removed some of the throwing knives in his bandolier and started to flip one in his hand while holding the others between his fingers. The mercenary positioned himself a few feet away from the dummy, continuing to flip the knife.

Then made a show of practicing throwing them with a flick of his wrist and power in his form.

One knife thrown, embedded in the dummy’s head.

While he exercised to get him into the correct frame of mind, he recalled vague bits of the conversation he had with Iris earlier. She confirmed through her vision that the group she practically crashed into were the heroes who would end the Blight. A fact that made Alder ecstatic to have the confirmation of the end.

But there was a catch. There was _always_ a catch.

Second knife thrown, embedded in the dummy’s neck.

Iris said that she had to guide them through the decisions they would need to make. _Guide_ them meant going _with_ them. And she was a scout who was _incapable_ of _fighting_ when there would be _darkspawn_ about. _Darkspawn_ who could readily kill her like they almost did in Lothering.

He was livid.

Third knife thrown, embedded in the dummy’s chest, right where the heart should be.

He would not put her into danger. He told her as much and though she tried to argue back, he was firm in his point. It wasn’t that the group didn’t seem capable if they had two Grey Wardens, a mabari, a mage, a rogue – likely an Orlesian, going by her accent – and a Qunari. But he didn’t trust that they wouldn’t look after her best interests when Darkspawn were concerned.

And though reluctant, she conceded to his point.

Fourth knife thrown, embedded into the dummy’s stomach.

However, Iris argued that she couldn’t stand still and not do anything when she had important information for them on how to get through the trials they would encounter. She said that it included saving Redcliffe and Arl Eamon, and he questioned if they _had_ to be the ones to do so. She confirmed they had to be. The group had power and influence no one else had. And then she recited a fact from legends told before: Only a Grey Warden could end the Blight by killing the Archdemon.

It _had_ to be them.

Alder cursed as he threw his last knife with a force that shook the dummy as the blade embedded into its head. Then he stood straight and took in a few calming breaths.

They had no choice. The Wardens _had_ to be the ones to end the Blight. And he knew Iris wouldn’t stand idly by when there would be an opportunity to make things better, proved by saving that child with no regard for her safety. Alder couldn’t risk her doing anything on her own again, so they compromised: she would ally with them to send them warnings of what would happen once she could gather what they needed to know.

This meant knowing what they had already done. And _that_ meant reconnaissance on the group using her abilities.

He stepped up to the dummy and collected his knives, one at a time, and he pulled the last one with a bit more necessary force. He looked over the blade in thought.

They discovered that Iris had three main abilities. Of the abilities, they focused on training in her Eye the most as they thought it would be the most used. Then they planned to take their time with the other two later. But then all _this_ happened. They were right about the Eye and it made Iris invaluable, but he didn’t think that they would need the other two abilities so soon.

And yet here they were with plans to use both her abilities to track others and remain unseen with Iris untrained.

She wouldn’t be able to do this on her own against those with training. So, this was where he came in to support her.

He was the distraction.

As he heard multiple footsteps coming up from somewhere on his right, he put away the throwing knives into their place in the bandolier on this chest before looking up to see the group they met earlier with Tomas leading their way to the chantry. He felt a double tap on his arm – Iris announcing her presence and that she was waiting on him. He smirked.

Time to be distracting then.

“Well, we meet again, lady Warden,” Alder said with a friendly smile as he approached the group. He glanced at the man who led their way and gave him a nod. “Glad to see you found Tomas just fine.”

The lady Warden smiled at the sight of him. “He was exactly where you said he would be, thank you, Alder.” She stepped forward with a hand outstretched. “I didn’t have the chance to properly introduce myself. I am Elissa Cousland.”

Cousland. Alder’s smile disappeared as he recalled recent events. “…ah. Heard of what happened in Highever.” He felt a light tap on his arm – the indicator that Iris was taking the chance. Alder didn’t miss the cue as he gave the Warden a sad but sympathetic smile while he took her hand and shook it. “Apologies for your loss, my lady. All things considered, really do wish we were meeting under better circumstances.”

“Elissa please. I _am_ a Grey Warden now,” she said with a subtle but sad undertone in her voice as she pulled away. Her eyes and voice then turned into determined steel. “Though make no mistake, I will still see my family avenged so long as the Cousland blood runs through my veins.”

Alder felt a light tap on his arm – confirmation of success. He smiled. “Noble and determined. You have quite the task ahead of you.” He glanced behind Elissa. “And these are…quite the unusual company you keep.”

A cough sounded from beside him and he and Elissa turned to Tomas. “Though I’m sure that it would be a fascinating tale, we shouldn’t keep the Bann waiting.”

Alder gave him a sheepish smile. “Right, sorry. Little time for chitchat then.” He pointed to the building behind him with a jut of his thumb. “Bann Teagan should be within the chantry. Though hope you don’t mind that I tag along to see what he might say about the defense efforts.” He gave a cheeky smile. “Have to be sure he doesn’t say anything bad about the warriors.”

Elissa laughed. “By all means.”

As he fell into step beside Tomas when they resumed their walk to the chantry, he glanced back at the rest of the group in a cursory check. The two Wardens spoke to each other in hushed tones with the mabari falling in step beside Elissa. The mage looked around to observe the surroundings with a scowl on her face. The impassive Qunari warrior looked ahead, then suddenly, he flinched and glanced at his hand. Then he slowly glanced around before lifting his hand again to examine it.

“What is it, Sten?” the bard asked from beside him as he stared at his hand for a while.

Then, he lowered it and resumed looking forward. “Nothing.”

Alder smirked as he looked ahead of him. He felt the tap on his arm in confirmation a few moments later, causing his smirk to widen. Two done, three left.

* * *

Alder had to admit that he wasn’t sure what to make of the group when Iris told him that they would save Ferelden. He planned to draw his own conclusions by tagging along with them as they went through the village but based on watching them for the past few hours, there was no other way to put it: They were _strange_.

Elissa Cousland may have been the most normal of the lot and he was thankful that she was their leader. She seemed to be the one with a good head on her shoulders and her upbringing as a noble showed in her knack for diplomacy and the elegance in her movements. But she was far from being arrogant or difficult, which said much for the ways that the Couslands raised their ilk. He approved. On top of that, he was impressed by the way she handled the range of issues around the village where she seemed to try to solve as many as she could. It didn’t matter if it was finding Bevin, giving Kaitlyn money to start a new life in exchange for their family sword, getting Lloyd off his arse to join the militia, or boosting the morale of the troops with ale and chantry tokens – if she could help, she found a way to do so.

She even handled negotiations with Bann Teagan and suggested that they use the deserters caught and prisoners to supplement the forces. The Bann and Murdock were initially hesitant but given Redcliffe’s state of needing as many men as possible, they agreed to her suggestion provided the knights oversaw them all. Reasonable and practical. Though Alder vaguely wondered if this came from how their little party seemed to recruit whoever they could get their hands on, by the looks of it. But if the strategy worked, then he couldn’t fault them.

From their so-called little party, the one that called the most attention was their Qunari warrior, Sten. He said very little, did very little and when he did do anything, it was something that showcased his view as dictated by the Qun. He couldn’t say he _understood_ this view, but so long as the man didn’t hurt anyone, then Alder was fine. He met a few Qunari during his time as a Seeker and he was mostly neutral with them so long as they didn’t cause any trouble. But he was partial to the Tal-Vashoth. At least they had _fun_.

By contrast to the hulking man, Morrigan was a _sight_. Though her attire looked as if she crawled out of a wood somewhere, she was a woman who knew she was attractive and powerful and knew how to use _both_ to her advantage without hesitation. This meant that she was one to watch out for without question. He supposed that the only good thing was that she was easy to distract by Alder ogling her until Morrigan noticed and sneered in turn, and Iris could take her pick with location with how much skin she bared.

Three done.

Alistair was also simple. His movements and choice of weaponry screamed ‘Templar’ that Alder knew without trying and while he could give that the man was entertaining and surprisingly friendly against all the madness in the world, he didn’t seem to be the brightest wick on the candle. That only meant Iris didn’t need his help as Alistair only seemed confused when she finally targeted him.

“Did you just—Did you reach for my neck?” he asked Elissa who stood beside him as they reached the end of speaking to Bann Teagan.

Elissa’s face remained neutral, but her voice showed her confusion. “No, I did no such thing, Alistair.” She even raised both her gloved hands to display her point.

His gauntleted hand reached for the back of his neck to rub off the sensation. “I could’ve sworn that someone touched my neck.” His eyes widened as an idea hit him. “You don’t think it’s a spirit, do you?”

Alder laughed at the idea. “Doubt a spirit would want to come and say hello like that.” He felt the light tap on his arm for confirmation of the task done. He smirked. “After all, a spirit would be more dignified. That was too mischievous.” Another harder tap came on his arm in retaliation and he had to resist the urge to laugh.

Four done.

Sister Leliana was trickier. Her silent movements and thick accent indicated Orlesian bard, so the woman would be on her guard against anyone trying to sneak up on her. He caught a few moments when the woman would suddenly whip her head around to a sound he knew was Iris. She would need his help for this one. So, his distraction plan was simple: talk to her about something that would interest a rogue to the point of not noticing anything else. And he had just the thing. It was only a matter of timing.

His opportunity came once the group went around the village to oversee other preparations necessary for that evening’s attack. The Warden, Alistair, Morrigan and Sten went into Owen’s blacksmith store to speak to him while Alder accompanied Leliana and their mabari, Dog, outside. His eyes were trained on the hound in wonder for why anyone in their right mind would give it such a strange name when Leliana opened the conversation.

“You have been quite kind to help us, Alder,” she said with a smile as they both leaned against the wall of Owen’s store.

Alder’s arms were crossed as he shrugged with a smile. “You’ve volunteered to assist. Only find it fitting to help in turn.” He tapped the forefingers onto his arm and waited a beat for the tap from Iris. It came a second later to indicate her presence nearby.

He signaled again with a single tap on his hand to indicate that he was starting his distraction and seamlessly spoke to Leliana again. “Though I would think that I would be of most help to _you_ , Sister.”

“To me? How so?” Leliana asked, curiosity in her voice.

Alder hoped he wasn’t rusty, or this would be embarrassing.

 _“Would you not be interested in hearing the whispers about in Ferelden? Or would Orlais suit your fancy?”_ he said transitioning to Orlesian and lowering the volume of his voice. The language always felt strange on his tongue, but it did come in handy for moments like these.

Leliana’s eyes fractionally widened as her posture tensed, then her eyes narrowed in scrutiny. He didn’t know if it was from his language change or from his question or both until she spoke again, answering in Orlesian and matching his volume. _“You are an informer?”_

Ah, good. He could use this angle then.

 _“You could say that,”_ Alder continued in Orlesian. _“Or we can leave it that I’m…well-connected within the organization.”_

_“I heard informers were selective of their clientele.”_

_“You’re correct. And I, who may or may not be an informer, am selecting you.”_

_“Why?”_

_“Isn’t it obvious?”_ he said with a shrug as he felt the confirmation tap on his arm. _“With things as they are, wouldn’t you have a vested interest in Ferelden surviving the Blight? What better client to assure its survival than Grey Wardens?”_

 _“And how can I know that you are speaking the truth?”_ Leliana countered.

Alder smirked. _“You don’t. You’ll just have to trust me.”_

_“That is a great favor to ask, Alder.”_

_“Take it or leave it,”_ he said smoothly. _“Not to worry, you can think about it until tomorrow. You know where to find me.”_

The door to the blacksmith opened as Elissa led the way out for the small group. Alder didn’t hesitate to step up to them, ending his conversation with Leliana. He guessed that the bard was glaring at his back by now, but that was no longer his concern. They could talk business later. From the area on a roof, Iris appeared with her hood peeking out from atop it. She gave him a quick wave to confirm the success of the mission before sliding down the other side of the roof.

Five done.

He loved it when plans went well. And on top of that, he had a business opportunity within the soon-to-be heroes of the Fifth Blight _and_ more information for his evaluation of Iris. He should remember to report that later once all this business was over, but he already had a guess for what the result was going to be. After all, they’d be fools to let this chance pass them by.

“So,” Alder said in Common with a cheerful smile to Elissa. “Where to next?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alder POV for this one because it worked better for the story that needed to be told. I've written the prose differently to reflect the distinctions in their character thoughts and character voice so genuinely hoping it shows. This is my take for what happens differently in " A Village under Siege" but some canon events still happen.


	11. Chapter 11

Iris breathed in the cool night air as she crouched on her perch on the hill from the first night of the undead attack. She found it mildly poetic that she was beginning the final night where she started. But unlike then, she knew what to expect. She had more practice and showed less hesitation in using her Eye, and though the prior night made her shaky from the sight of the undead, she would power through it.

The fear was still present. Oh, was it ever present. She could still see the monster lumbering towards her, and the scrape of the makeshift club was still…haunting. She shuddered at the memory and grounded herself by clutching an arm. But she couldn’t let fear stop her. She couldn’t allow it to have power over her. After what she saw in her ‘vision’ from that afternoon, her resolve solidified that she _had_ to power through it as this was the first of many times she would need to prove her worth in her abilities, starting with her prowess as a scout.

Eyes then glanced back at the force behind her as they waited near the windmill, noting the Warden speaking to Alder and Dahlia with her party nearby, while the knights hung back with the prisoners. She spotted Dwyn and Berwick among them and smiled beneath the cowl, allowing herself to feel the relief. She was glad that she didn’t need to worry anymore as the world seemed to find a way to right itself even without her intervention. All would be well _this_ time, but she knew she couldn’t be complacent. Next time, she would definitely consider the consequences and plan for eventualities.

Her gaze shifted back and quickly took stock of the Dragon Age Origins cast as they took their positions closer to the line of spiked barriers, allowing the sight of them to sink in.

Sten, hornless Qunari warrior of the Beresaad. Towering, strong, and expressionless though still missing his Asala.

Leliana, Chantry lay sister and Orlesian bard. Closer to Inquisition appearance, but no less elegant, pretty or skilled.

Morrigan, witch of the Wilds and shapeshifting apostate mage. Beautiful, alluring and yet so _obviously_ dangerous.

Alistair, almost-Templar and Grey Warden. Handsome, friendly with an adorkable charm about him and yet she can see how he could come off as a pushover in his impression.

Dog, mabari hound to Elissa Cousland. A beast who could attack and rightly maim her and yet somehow seemed…cute.

And finally, Elissa Cousland, one of the last two Couslands in their family line and a Grey Warden. _The_ Warden of Dragon Age Origins. Capable, charismatic and the leader of the small band.

Each she knew on sight by name and story with how much she played and replayed the game, following their adventures through the Blight and after, and yet it felt…strange to see them in person where she wondered if she _truly_ knew them. After all, there was the possibility of more nuance with real people given habits and dimensions that the game never explored. The more they shuffled about and prepared, the more that the fact sank in for her: They were living people, but they _still_ had the monumental task of ending the Fifth Blight. They were going about it one task and objective at a time, feeling around as they went for wherever the documents would take them…and only she knew how they would succeed with the best possible outcomes.

She saw no other recourse. She _had_ to help them. But to do that, she had to _convince_ them that she _could_ be of help.

She knew they wouldn’t bring a random individual along with them on their journey – no matter how allegedly ‘special’ they were – when the person served no purpose. She wasn’t a fighter and she accepted that. No matter how much she gleaned from people, it wouldn’t compare to experience, skill and training that each member of the party had. She would be dead weight unless she could sell herself as someone with a more utility role…which was unprecedented for the game.

The pressure weighed on her mind as she thought of all they had to do, how she would convince them and what she had to prepare. It was going to be…challenging, to say the least, and especially with limited resources and time windows. But she had to cope. _Somehow_ , she would manage. She massaged the temples with a hand and sighed, pushing the thoughts away as she shifted position on her perch but stayed crouched.

It was then that Elissa walked up to the hill that Iris perched on, waving up to her to catch her attention. Iris regarded the Warden with a glance and nod as she provided her report. “All is clear thus far, lady Warden. Though I suspect that the enemy should be here soon.”

“Thank you, Hawkeye. And please, call me Elissa. We are all comrades-in-arms here,” Elissa said, waving off the formalities, then placing her hands back on her hips as she looked up at Iris. “Though is this why you’re named Hawkeye? For your scouting?”

Iris nodded. “It’s a recent change for that, yes, but I do like it.”

“Isn’t that a little on the nose for a name?” Alistair said from beside his fellow Warden.

Iris glanced at the mabari between them. “And what is the name of your mabari hound again?” she asked with mock sweetness.

“Dog!” Elissa responded with a cheeky grin.

“…alright, I see your point,” Alistair conceded wryly.

From behind them, Morrigan’s laughter rang out. “Clever,” she remarked. “‘Twas time another saw to putting Alistair in his place.”

Iris gave a shrug. “I only presented the facts of the situation.” But also gave Morrigan a nod in thanks. “Though I’m honored you think me clever.”

Alistair made a disgusted face. “Honored? By Morrigan? Then the world _must_ be ending.”

Morrigan threw him a glare as a melodious giggle sounded from behind Alistair. “For all our sakes, I certainly hope not,” Leliana pipped in from where she stood. “We still have a Blight to stop, yes?”

As they continued to converse with each other, Iris pulled the hood further over the head, covering the view of the face from their angle. She discreetly switched vision with her Eye as it hovered at the castle entrance, in time to notice the fog starting to pour out of the gates – the tell-tale sign that the attack was about to come.

Iris stood up and made a show of squinting towards the direction of the castle, as if checking the castle from her current location.

“They’re coming!” she called out, just as the fog erupted from the castle gate.

“Stand fast and ready yourselves, men!” ordered Ser Perth from his position behind Elissa’s party.

Iris immediately sprinted and slid down the hill, not slowing her momentum to run towards her next position. She ran up a wall in three strides and climbed up on top of the nearby building as the warriors formed ranks a few feet away from the spiked barriers they set ablaze.

She repeated her scouting motions, making a show of peering off to the distance with a hand above the face’s brow and switched view with her Eye as she willed it to dive into the cloud. Her mind counted the enemy as the Eye weaved through the ranks, darting past the faces touched by death and greatly fighting the impulse to shrink upon seeing them through the green and black fog.

She couldn’t be afraid. She wouldn’t be cowed. She would fight this. She would _fight_ this.

“The force is fifty corpses strong,” Iris called out from her location, fighting the tremble that threatened to go with her words. “They’re split in two large groups of thirty and twenty.”

“Keep your Eye on the flanking unit!” Alder called back as he unsheathed his two swords from either hip. “We need to know where they’re hitting!”

Iris nodded as she sent her Eye after the group as it split away from the force heading towards the direction of the windmill, though was able to note the movement of the main force as it rushed forward, group by group in a familiar pattern.

“Elissa! They’re coming four at a time but may rush at once!”

The Warden raised her hand in acknowledgement of receiving the information as she and her group all readied their weapons and took their places: Alistair and Sten at the front, Elissa, Dog and Leliana in the middle, and Morrigan in the back, charging her spell. Familiar formation, familiar sights and yet…it hit so different when it was _real_. The fog of green and black arrived and covered the path that led into the village from the castle, but it wasn’t long before the first group of undead rushed out with weapons at the ready and wanting for blood.

The final battle began with the sound of lightning and shouts from both sides.

Iris took the chance to turn away, sprinting to gain momentum then leaping to a nearby roof to make a show of her changing location to a secondary scouting point to track the flanking group. She landed on one of the homes closest to the chantry before climbing up to a higher floor and assuming her position – hand above brow and pretending to look around towards the docks – but vision switching to the Eye. It flew above the buildings and dirt roads to rest above the open field, the barricaded line around the docks and chantry in sight with the secondary force of militia men led by Murdock.

She arrived just in time to see the first of the undead peek out of the water. Discolored skin peeling off yet slick and clinging to the face in patches, dark spidery veins spread across the swollen limbs from the lake water seeping in, heavy thuds with the drowned corpses that sloshed and dragged themselves across the dock. These new forms that mixed in with the familiar skeletal ones as the force approached. Water rushed out of sockets and gaps and dripped off armor and bone, roars turned gurgled noises reminiscent of a man’s last breath as the enemy shambled forward with the purpose to finish what they started. Some gathered lake plant life that clung and threaded into what holes they could, but it didn’t seem to bother the army that what wasn’t alive.

They were relentless. And they would not be stopped by anything less than a final send-off into death’s arms.

“A force of twenty corpses heading your way!” she called out to the group from her position, retaining her vision to the Eye.

“Come, men! This time, let’s make sure the bastards stay dead!” Murdock bellowed as they formed a rough defensive line.

The corpses rushed forward, lake water spread in their wake and peppered the ground as they ran towards and between the wooden spiked barricades. It stopped some in their charge, especially the drowned ones as their torsos skewered through and oozed liquid through the torn flesh, decorating the wood as the creature screamed. However, most passed through as if the parts that ripped away were nothing more than an inconvenience.

The men stayed in the rough line, weapons at the ready and bracing themselves for the force of the charge. Some, like Lloyd, stepped back in hesitation and fear, but Murdock at their backs with his bow and quiver lent them strength as the message was clear: He would not run, and they shouldn’t either. Redcliffe depended on them to fight and defend the town.

Corpses met the living in a rush of bodies at the line. The inevitable clash was brutal with the exchange of blows.

The few knights and many militia men, to their credit, held the line the best they could. Weapons swung through the air with chopping, hacking and piercing their way through the enemy. Iris still felt mildly ill at hearing weapons dig through skin and crunch through bone, but she was slowly growing accustomed to it…and she didn’t know how to feel about the fact. Would she then be numb to death soon? But then that might be what was required to survive in this world.

For a moment, it appeared as if they were getting the advantage against the enemy as the undead line was repelled. However, they came back. Again. And again. The power of untrained men wasn’t anywhere near strong enough to deal the damage necessary to stop them. Even with the little battle experience they gained, this force was still weaker than the other one without many specialists in their ranks. And Iris could clearly see it.

Time ticked away. The battle fatigue set in. A few men started to fall. The hesitation started to show in their movements. She saw the uncertainty and fear creeping in. It was only a matter of time before it would be a repeat of that night again.

But she would be smarter about her help this time.

“Hold the line, men!” she screamed from her spot on the roof. “I’m getting help!”

The voice cut through their uncertainty. The promise of assistance inspired. Words gave a little hope as the knights and militia gathered their resolve and fought harder, and she got one last look at them steel themselves before turning and going at the fastest pace she could back to the windmill. There was none of the flair in her steps but all the efficiency of a traceur with a mission. She knew Alder would’ve been mad with her having less regard for safety as she soared through the air and raced on the rooftops, but safety that came secondary to the objective of getting the Warden to change locations.

Redcliffe should not fall. It _can’t_.

When she touched down onto the roof again in a roll, she spotted the group finishing off the last of the undead as she took in the sight of the slaughter. When she had left the force, there were a good thirty corpses. Now, there was barely a unit left standing as Sten brought down his blade onto one corpse’s head, bone crunching on impact and collapsing under the weight of his blade, forcing the creature to stillness. Alistair stood a ways beside him, blocking off the attack of two corpses’ with his sword and shield, Havard’s Aegis. Elissa flanked one of the corpses, slicing through its spine with her sword and breaking bone, followed by Leliana finishing it off with an arrow to the head, penetrating its skull with a sickening crack as it collapsed. The bard glanced to her right and immediately changed direction to shoot another undead that threatened to hit Morrigan as she cast, felling the corpse with another arrow through the skull, piercing through and through, before it touched the mage. In the next second, Morrigan released her spell, sending a line of lighting to the final corpse before it could deal another blow to Alistair’s shield with its makeshift club. The corpse died with a roar and bone shards flying against the power of the elements.

Iris gulped as the battle ended, palms becoming clammy beneath her gloves. These were familiar sights and familiar tactics. She knew them from the game and even used them herself for efficiency when she played. However, it was one thing to see a band of two-dimensional characters on a screen following a player’s orders to defeat an enemy that didn’t exist, and another to seeing a real group of people massacre horrifying creatures first-hand with no hesitation, no regard and no second thought.

This carnage was real…and it was _normal_.

The Warden’s party were as much a band of comrades-in-arms and characters with their own personality, thoughts and feelings, as they are a killing force that could slaughter their way through groups of enemies at the time…

…and somehow, she had to involve herself with them to lead them to the end of the Blight.

Iris shook her head, banishing the doubt and nausea-inducing fear that started to creep into her being. She had no time for this.

She then immediately called out to the group.

“Elissa!”

The Warden turned to her position on the roof as the rest of the group – knights, Ser Perth, Dwyn, Berwick, Alder and Dahlia, all relevant people accounted for – rushed from the windmill to move closer, weapons still drawn.

“The undead rose from the water! The men are overwhelmed! Hurry!!”

The force didn’t need to be told twice as they sprinted towards the chantry at full speed, armor clinking and leather boots hitting the ground heavily as they went. Iris followed behind through the rooftops, occasionally peeking to the view of her Eye as she ran to confirm that the men were still alive and hoping that they would make it in time to avoid more casualties.

Eyes glanced to the Warden’s party as they reached the chantry and clashed with the enemy once again.

Yes, they were a fighting force. Yes, they were unexpectedly _terrifying_. But they were still the heroes of the story.

They could do this. They could win. They _would_ win. And Iris landed on her perch with the happy assurance that this would be over soon.

* * *

The battle was longer and harder fought, but the Warden and her comrades turned the tide that night with a power unlike any that Redcliffe had seen before. It was a dance of death that couldn’t end sooner.

The last zombie fell with a dying roar of defiance as the harshness of darkness began to fade from Redcliffe. It seemed that the Attack at Nightfall was determined to begin and end in a strangely poetic way really. Iris smiled from behind the mask as she recalled the way the militia and knights cheered that morning. They were tired and worn down with some among them injured, but for a moment, all of that was forgotten as they reveled in the sweetness of their triumph and the relief that they were alive.

The night faded away for the light of day as news of the defense’s overwhelming victory spread through the survivors and those boarded within their homes. It was a victory unseen since the first night of the attacks and morale was finally at an all-time high. She recalled the relief in the faces of those who saw their loved ones again, with hugs, smiles, claps on the back and few with tears. She remembered the crying faces of those who were thankful to know that those that had fallen in previous battles did not die in vain as they rationalized the death as a steppingstone to the victory that was handed them.

It was…a sight that Iris didn’t think she would ever see, and she wasn’t sure if it was a beautiful one or one that she could’ve gone without given the cost. From the point-of-view of watching the Warden in the game, she always thought that it felt so unnecessarily grandiose to want to celebrate this particular win. After all, the cause wasn’t identified, and the enemy wasn’t dead yet. But after living in that life or death situation and understanding the dire circumstances that Redcliffe was in leading up to that night, she now understood. Oh, how she understood.

It was a night that was different from other nights and first that brought hope and possibility of life returning to normal. Iris mentally scoffed at the strangeness of wishing for the mundane and returning to the days with chores, training and conversations with Dahlia, but she supposed that anything was better when the alternative was constantly fearing for your life. And if the normal wouldn’t return for a while, the people had to take what happiness they got, and it was unquestionable fact that the Warden and her capable specialists were critical in turning the tide.

“Dawn arrives, my friends, and all of us remain,” Bann Teagan declared proudly. “We are victorious!”

Iris glanced up from the task at hand to see the crowd cheer, loud and happy with some among the villagers jumping or hugging a loved one as the sun’s first light bathed all in a warm glow. She smiled under the mask both at the heartwarming sight and the familiar words. For all her efforts of trying to stop the comparisons, she did wonder in passing on how accurate the game dialogue would be for canonical game events that she _could_ witness. Now, she received confirmation that some things would still be a one-to-one recreation. It wasn’t critical information or something she would frequently rely on, but she did find it reassuring and very amusing.

But this wasn’t the time for idle thoughts as time was scarce for what she had to do. She could amuse herself with observations later.

For now, she had a letter to write.

Somewhere in the background, Teagan continued his speech, but she drowned out the sound and continued to pen the letter to the Warden in preparation for the next phase of their plan. With the battle done and undead neutralized with a heavier blow to the demon’s forces, it would only be a matter of time before Isolde would come and the group would move to the next part of the mission…

…which would be her perfect chance to prove her abilities as a Seer, if she could share her predictions with the Warden.

She couldn’t contain her smile at the words that formed on the page in Trade script while she recalled the events of the game that were confirmed by her reconnaissance. ‘The Bann will act the fool as a child that is not a child shall make him dance.’ The smile grew beneath the mask as she reread the words.

Though this was an important part of the overall plan, Iris took some cues from the Oracle and prophecy tropes and decided not to make the letter straightforward. After all, it wouldn’t be any good if they got a straight walkthrough for the entirety of what was going to happen as it would make them rely on what the letter provided instead of focusing on what was before them. So, she made it cryptic enough to be strange at first read but would make sense once they reached the points that were depicted. She also deliberately chose facts and observations that were most likely to happen or remain unchanged even with the deviations from the game thus far. After all, it would be less compelling if the predictions were hit-or-miss. As she wrote the parts about Jowan as the ‘forbidden secret’ and the branching choices concerning Conner as ‘choosing the path of the secret’s origin where no one had to die’, she vaguely wondered if the Warden’s reaction to all this would be more amused or annoyed. Or perhaps both? She wouldn’t complain if it were.

Iris glanced up from her work to check on Alder as he stayed close by, leaning on a wall beside her and shielding her from the world’s view. Dahlia was off somewhere beside him and out of her line of sight, but undoubtedly deflecting people who tried to look with her kind smile.

“The Bann should be ending his speech soon,” Alder stated with arms crossed but eyes on Teagan, as the Bann declared that he would provide the Warden a reward for their efforts at turning the tide in the battle.

“Almost finished,” Iris reassured as she went back to writing the last few lines with a hint of her identity at the bottom right corner of the page and in smaller script so it would be easier to miss on the first read.  
  


You asked if my name was from my skill and I answered truthfully.  
However, I can see far more than meets the eye.  
Once your business at the castle is done,  
seek out the Seeker and we shall meet again.

  
Iris scanned the note’s contents twice and crossed out a few words before she was satisfied.

Now, it was time for the experimental part.

Hands rolled the parchment closed then shifted the hold to one hand, back turned to the crowd. Alder glanced her way to check her movements and shifted position to use his body to make sure she wasn’t seen. Eyes fixed on the scroll to focus on them, then eyelids closed as she concentrated on her unique magic.

She only did this once in their experiments and though she hated the idea of using a skill she never practiced, there was no other option with the pressing circumstances. Her only consolation was that testing the skill’s limits through live experimentation would prove better than a controlled space where she would be afraid to stray too far.

Iris concentrated on the well of magic within her, visualizing its size and scope. From the well, she took a small portion of the power and willed it to travel through the hand that held the scroll. It followed with the fingers bathed in a comforting, familiar warmth. She willed it to transfer from the hand to the letter. It followed, flowing through her fingers in a trickle, and stayed on the scroll.

Eyes opened as she looked at the parchment, vaguely feeling her own magic on the item. It was similar the aura she placed around herself when she stayed Out of Sight and retrieved information from the party in another on-the-job trial, but as tested with Alder, the effect was different when the aura was around something or someone else. In those cases, the aura made her aware of the presence and location of whatever it surrounded, allowing her to track it wherever it went. It almost like in video games where she could place a custom marker on whatever she wanted, though she wasn’t sure if this one had a range limit. It looks like she was about to find out.

She smiled under the cowl as she turned the item over and still felt the magic stay steady and present. So far, it seemed to be a success.

Now, all she had to do was manage the magic transfer to the Warden when Elissa read her note and the custom marker would be complete.

“It’s ready,” Iris said as she turned to Alder and handed him the parchment when he held out his hand to receive it. “They’ll be meeting Bann Teagan at the windmill soon to take advantage of the opening created after the attack. You may have a few minutes at most.”

Alder smirked as he walked out of their hiding spot between buildings. “That should be plenty.” He threw her a reassuring grin. “Not to worry, little mage. Leave it the rest to me.”

* * *

_Laughter._

The day that followed felt like the longest in Iris’ life since coming to Thedas. After getting some rest to recharge from the effort of the evening, she didn’t know what to do with herself as the anticipation built from waiting for the Warden and her party to return from Redcliffe Castle.

At first, she kept her mind’s eye on the mark, feeling around for the trace of her magic and tracked it as it went. With the transfer from the scroll to the recipient successful, the mark was currently around Elissa, encasing her in an aura of Iris’ magic as their group went through the underground passage and worked their way into Redcliffe Castle. It appeared that the mark had a large enough range that Iris would know if the Warden was at ground level, underground or above ground, but not anything precise like where she was or who she was with. For those specifics, she had to make educated guesses based on her own understanding. Though the information was more limited than she hoped, it was enough for Iris’ purposes as she continued to watch them for a while...until she found herself starting to get impatient with the Warden’s progress as they fought through the ranks of demons and corpses. When her emotions started to get the better of her, she decided that it was best to change tactics.

Next, she tried an old favorite: meditating. And for a while, it _had_ worked…until it didn’t. Thoughts ran through her mind as she lost concentration and thought about the possibilities of her circumstances. She pondered and considered plan after plan for what to prepare for if she succeeded, back-up plans if _didn’t_ succeed and even plans for the back-up plans of those failed. By her ninth attempt at trying to meditate, she was only marginally more relaxed than she started.

In the end, what effectively that brought her out of her overthinking and fidgeting was Dahlia’s insistence on her eating and keeping the old woman company. Spending time with her de facto mother for the afternoon brought a sense of normalcy from the days before the attacks returning, and the pastries helped immensely in improving her mood with comfort eating. Alder joined them at some point in the day and though Dahlia controlled his portions of pastry intake, Iris noted where the old woman hid them. She’d likely tell the Seeker where they were later as thanks for the assistance as she was sure that Dahlia would forgive her for this _one_ time of helping him.

After she calmed and was sure that she could go through the rest of the day with a cooler head, Iris went ahead to the training area for some light practice with running and her magic. The body still felt worn from the effort of the night before, but she didn’t want to skip on training, especially when she may need to be more active moving forward. However, she didn’t push herself too hard and took a leisurely pace in swinging and running through the trees. Occasionally, she would place an aura of magic around herself to practice her ability to turn invisible, and at one point, she tagged a passing fennec fox with her magic and practiced tracking it while invisible to combine all skills.

All in all, the day looked to be very productive. So much so that a couple hours passed before Iris would remember to check on her mark on the Warden again with how often she spaced out in the moment to enjoy and got caught in improvements in magical control through training.

But when she did check on the Warden, she found she didn’t need to, as her power seemed to be coming closer to the training area where she currently sat on a tree branch for a break. She felt out to confirm the power approaching and readied herself for the ‘guests’ when she was certain.

Time to prepare for the ‘show’ then.

Alder was the first to step into the clearing through the brush and she made sure he saw her with a hand over the masked lips in a gesture of silence before she turned invisible.

The Seeker smirked, catching on to her plan, and shook his head before he stepped into the clearing, followed by Elissa and her group.

“Here we are then,” Alder said with a smile as he gestured to the small open space. “One meeting place away from prying eyes.”

Sten was, surprisingly, the first one to speak.

“We do not have time for this nonsense,” Sten said with a rumble in his voice, impatient and unamused.

Alder tutted at the Qunari with a shake of his head. “So serious _and_ impatient?” His expression settled on a smirk as he casually approached the tree that Iris perched on. “But I assure that there’s no nonsense here, Sten. You asked me to bring you to Hawkeye and I’ve _done_ my part,” he said lightly as he turned to them and leaned against the tree trunk, arms crossed. Iris nudged his shoulder with a foot to confirm that she was still nearby.

Elissa glanced back at Sten in a wordless order, likely asking to let her handle this matter, and the Qunari regarded her silently for a few seconds before giving a small nod. Elissa then turned to face Alder fully, the rest of the group behind her and watching the Seeker with suspicion.

“Then forgive me for asking the obvious, Alder…” Elissa said, retaining her diplomatic attitude as she gestured to the empty space. “But where then _is_ Hawkeye?”

Iris took this as her cue for her dramatic reveal.

“Why…I’m right here,” she said airily with a smile in tone as she dispelled the aura around her, the body turning fully visible in an instant.

The reaction from the group was just as instantaneous where almost all reached for their weapons. _Almost_ all, as she noted that Elissa was the only one who started, eyes widening slightly but didn’t appear defensive. Could Iris read that as fearlessness? Fitting for someone who would fight the Archdemon then.

She chuckled lightly in amusement as she shifted position on the branch to put one leg over another. While she made the decision with some reservations, she had to admit that continuing to add flair and playing up a ‘mysterious oracle’ role was more fun than she thought it’d be. It felt a little _silly_ to be this dramatic, but it was no less enjoyable. Now she understood why it was a running trope for characters to do it so _willingly_ in some cases.

“Hello everyone,” Iris said with a smile still in the voice, her gaze scanning the group. “I do hope you enjoyed my letter. I suspect you have questions, and we have some time to talk before your next task.” Multiple pairs of eyes either narrowed or twitched at her words and knowing tone. “So…shall we take the chance to finally get properly acquainted?”

She gracefully jumped down from the branch and landed beside Alder as he looked upon the group with amusement clear on his face. Alistair moved to stand protectively before Elissa as Leliana shifted position to the Warden’s flank. Morrigan stayed where she was with eyes showing suspicion, curiosity and some amusement, while Sten outright glared. Dog appeared to be the only one vaguely happy to see her.

Iris resisted the urge to laugh again and break character. Instead, she continued the performance and stepped forward to stand before them fully.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Iris said with a shallow bow. “I am Hawkeye…” She straightened, eyes twinkling in mischief. “And I am a Seer.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: implied canon character death, canon-typical violence

“Seer?” Morrigan deadpanned. “You speak of one who sees the future?” She scoffed. “Do you think us so foolish to believe in such a thing?”

“I think that you have eyes to see what’s before you,” Iris quipped, brushing aside Morrigan’s tone as Alder stepped up to stand beside her. “It may be hard to believe, but I know many secrets of what was, what is and what is to come…”

Her gaze swept the group with a knowing glint in the eyes. “…including many of _yours_.”

Many of the group visibly tensed or straightened, but Iris continued with hands gesturing dismissively at their concern. “And I _could_ start stating some of them, but I wouldn’t want to make enemies of potential allies. That would be counter intuitive, now wouldn’t it?”

“Allies, you say?” Elissa asked with wary interest. “Then you would like to help us?”

“Haven’t I already?” Iris said with a smile still in the eyes. “I thought my intentions were clear with the letter sent to assist you. It _did_ help, did it not?”

“Your letter was as clear as seeing those corpses through the fog,” Alistair remarked dryly. “If we wouldn’t know the meaning of your predictions until they _almost_ happen, I’d take my chances with the usual way, thanks.”

Iris couldn’t help but laugh. It would be like Alistair to comment on that. “I wouldn’t be so cruel as to continue being vague if you were to accept my help.” Eyes glanced at him, with a twinkle of mischief. “Surely you could understand wanting a bit of fun… _your_ _highness_.” She dragged out the last two words for emphasis and it had its intended effect when the Templar-trained warrior immediately bristled.

“Alright, so either she’s the real thing,” Alistair said cautiously. “Or she’s an apostate who used that vanishing magic to overhear our conversation.”

“Perhaps she was granted visions like mine and also sent by the Maker to aid us,” said Leliana, seemingly happy to have found a companion.

Morrigan groaned. “One of you is more than enough. I cannot believe you give credence to such drivel.”

It was Alder’s turn to chuckle in amusement at the state of denial. Iris casually placed a hand on Alder’s arm, seemingly to discourage his laughter, but in actuality, she gave it a subtle tap – an indicator that she was about to do something, and he had to be ready. He glanced at her in confirmation as she caught his eye before she continued speaking.

“Whether you choose to believe the evidence I’ve given or not,” Iris said with more seriousness. “The fact remains that I _am_ a Seer, and I stand before you offering my help. I can’t be clearer than that. And after all…”

Eyes looked between Elissa and Alistair, and a hand extended out as if to offer peace “…Wouldn’t you want to know the correct choices that lead to the Blight’s end? Or perhaps learn where else you could receive help?” A look passed between the Warden pair at the temptation.

Gaze shifted to Morrigan. “Or would more… _personal_ matters appeal to you for _other_ goals?” The Witch of the Wilds glared at her in response, as if daring her to reveal what she knew. But Iris would ignore this challenge…for now.

Gaze shifted to sweep across the group, one hand subtly giving Alder a tap again to be ready while the other gestured to emphasize her points. “Because I can share what I know with you. It could be as mundane as where to get the best weaponry and equipment, or perhaps…”

Gaze landed on Leliana as she spoke slowly in Orlesian. “… _confirm **her** whereabouts_…” Leliana’s eyes widened as she inhaled sharply and visibly paled.

And finally, gaze landed on Sten. Iris braced herself as she spoke slowly in Qunlat. “… _or locate your Asala.”_

The reaction was all she thought it would be as Sten immediately moved to approach her with a low growl, undoubtedly intending to demand that Iris tell him where he could find his ‘soul’ as a Beresaad…

…but Alder was faster. The Seeker intercepted the hulking man’s course with a longsword drawn from his hip, and the blade’s tip pointed at Sten’s neck. A light aura of power emanated from him, smile gone from his face. From behind them, Alistair and Leliana impulsively reached for their weapons while Morrigan looked on with a frown on her face.

“Don’t you dare, Qunari,” Alder warned, in a low warning tone unlike Iris had ever heard.

She blinked in surprise for a second but then recovered to make herself sound amused again and diffuse the tension. “Didn’t I say it would be counter intuitive to make enemies of potential allies? You’d do well to abide by the same.”

“Stand down, Sten!” Elissa ordered as she stepped between the Qunari and Alder. Sten stayed tense but reluctantly backed away though his hard gaze stayed on Iris. The Seeker glanced between the Sten and Elissa in consideration, and after a few stressful moments, he dispelled his power as he drew back his blade and sheathed it.

The female Warden breathed a sigh of relief before she turned back to Iris and seemed to settle for diplomacy. “Alright. You’ve made your point clear.” She held out a hand in the same way Iris did earlier as a show of peace. “And what would you have then in exchange for your services?”

“Only the favor of each one of you and your future companions. Is that not enough? After all, I only want what is best for Thedas.” Iris smiled with the eyes. Elissa’s eyes brightened at the mention of future companions, but Iris noted Morrigan’s frown deepened when she mentioned owing a favor. The mage likely didn’t like the idea of being indebted to anyone, but Iris bet she couldn’t doubt the offer was still appealing if it meant furthering her goals.

“Then you’ll come with us? Just like that?” Elissa asked with skepticism clear in her tone. Considering how Iris was trolling them, she could understand why the Warden would not immediately believe her. It seemed like a deal too good to be true.

This should’ve been easy. But before Iris could respond, Alder cut in first.

“Hold on,” the mercenary said, stepping in front of Iris with crossed arms. “She said she would help. There was no talk of her going _with_ you.”

Elissa’s eyes widened in surprise as Iris stared thoughtfully at his back.

This was…going as expected then. She thought that not briefing him would’ve worked in her favor, but it seemed that she couldn’t bypass his protective nature so easily.

“Alder, you can’t be serious,” Elissa argued. “If she is capable of doing what she says she can, we will _need_ her with us.”

“Does it look like I’m joking?” Alder said with none of the usual good nature in his voice. “For all the talk of her knowledge, need I remind you that Hawkeye is a _non-combatant_? She may have unusual talents, but she still _can’t fight_ , yet you expect her to go with you while you fight _darkspawn?_ ”

Elissa’s stance wavered as Leliana frowned at his words. “Do you not believe that we will protect her?”

His answered without hesitation. “No. Her abilities make her useful, but they also make her _dangerous._ ” He looked at Leliana straight on as he continued his argument. “ _We_ can use those abilities to their fullest and handle that danger, so she is under _our_ care and protection. But you?” He gestured to the group with a wave of his hand. “Would _love_ to trust you, but from what we gathered, you have your own agendas and no vested interest in keeping her safe or alive.” His gaze returned to Elissa. “If you want even the _slightest_ chance of her going with you, we need the reassurance.”

“But—” Ellisa tried to argue.

However, Alder wouldn’t have it. “That’s _final_.”

A silence settled for a few seconds after this declaration and Iris mentally sighed. She predicted that Alder’s protective demeanor was going to get in the way of her joining them, but she wasn’t going to be one to argue and push when he had a point. As much as she had her parkour abilities, magic and some training with the Seeker, she wasn’t combat ready and didn’t have the necessary fight response yet to defend herself as that came with training that she sorely lacked. What was ingrained in her was _flight_ rather than fight, and even then, she was still only on the way to returning to form as a traceur and had only started to explore her magical capabilities. At best case, she could hypothetically hang back and do as she had done for the attack on Redcliffe but that wouldn’t be an option for close quarters fighting. The Warden was going to fight a variety of terrifying enemies in multiple different scenarios, and she would only be a liability if they brought her along as she was now.

Even if they tried to work around it as they are now, the party would likely split the duty of watching over her, but this would lower their battle efficiency. Alternatively, they could dedicate someone to watch over her, but from their current party, they could neither afford to lose anyone to that duty nor could she or Alder trust any of them to watch her when each had their own agenda.

As things stood, they were stuck.

“I’m sorry, Elissa,” Iris said, with genuine sympathy as the Warden appeared beaten. “But he does have a point and I defer to his overprotective nature for this. I can’t deny that he _is_ looking out for me.” A hand reached for Alder’s shoulder as a show of support and thanks. But she wouldn’t be so cruel as to tease her help and leave them hanging so, she offered an alternative. “For now, I can at least provide you guidance for what you will face in Kinloch Hold.” Eyes smiled knowingly. “That _is_ where you’re going, is it not?”

Elissa weakly chuckled through her discomfort at being read. “That’s right. Though is there a purpose in answering when you already know?”

“Confirmation would always be nice,” Iris said plainly. “And knowing narrows the future possibilities to account for.”

From beside his fellow Warden, Alistair shuddered. “Will this ever be any less… _creepy_?”

Iris laughed lightly. “Perhaps. Perhaps not.”

“Well, creepy or not, we’ll take what we can then. But do know that I don’t consider this matter settled.” She threw a look of challenge at Alder, but the mercenary stayed unmoving.

“I thought you wouldn’t,” Iris said with eyes smiling. Her tone turned thoughtful. “Now…where to begin?”

The time after that was spent with Iris providing them rough information and warnings for what they would face in the Circle Tower. Though it wasn’t a thorough walkthrough of what they would do, she gave them clearer signs to watch for. Thankfully, it seemed the more she spoke of the events that would happen, the more she sensed the wary willingness to put stock in her words. Even Morrigan started to believe her, once Iris mentioned Flemeth’s Grimoire – she should’ve figured, really. The Seer was glad for this, because as much as the letter had been her way in, providing actual predictions in this way would be where she _should_ shine and be the way to prove her worth.

Some reactions during the highlight reel of side quests were expected, like Alistair’s righteous fury when she spoke of Godwin and his lyrium smuggling and Morrigan’s subdued surprise turned pleased smirk at the mention of where she would be able to find Flemeth’s Grimoire. Elissa seemed to like knowing that the mages weren’t beyond help and confirmation of seeing Wynne again. Iris supposed that the idea of seeing a familiar face and knowing someone else was alive after the destruction of Ostagar was comforting.

“For what follows that,” Iris said as she looked straight at Elissa while removing her glove. “I will need your hand.”

The Warden’s brow furrowed in confusion. “My hand?”

“Your _uncovered_ hand, if you please,” Iris confirmed as she extended a hand to the Warden, waiting to receive Elissa’s own. “And permission to read your future.”

Elissa tensed at the idea as she looked at the offered hand. She glanced at her companions, seemingly checking for their reactions and opinions. Alistair and Leliana appeared as hesitant as she was, Morrigan looked on with curiosity and interest, and Sten and Dog remained as they were.

“I would do so were I you,” Morrigan said in her sing-song tone. “If we are to use her abilities to their fullest, there is no reason to delay what is inevitable.”

“Well, you’re certainly quick to change your mind,” Alistair pointed out dryly.

“She is useful and offering to be used,” Morrigan retorted. “I see no reason to feign hesitation or shame.”

“Though I wouldn’t have phrased it in that way, Morrigan presents a valid point, Alistair,” Elissa said with a weak smile to her fellow Warden.

He, in turn, made a face at the Witch while Morrigan smiled smugly. Iris laughed lightly at the interactions. They were all so much more entertaining than the game characters.

Elissa then turned to Iris. “What will I feel when you retrieve the information? And will you learn anything else?”

Iris brought back her expression to an amused neutral. “I promise that it won’t hurt, and neither will I glean anything else from you.” She glanced to Alder who stood beside her. “If you need reassurance, Alder will be here to stop me if necessary, or you could also have Alistair do so. I wouldn’t mind either way.”

The Warden looked at Iris in consideration, pausing for a while to think. Then, she took in a breath and appeared to firm her resolve. “That won’t be necessary. I will choose to trust you,” Elissa said as she removed her leather glove. “Though I will enquire: why would you need to read my future now? I was under the impression that you already knew what was to come.”

Iris considered the answer carefully before responding. “I had one vision as of late that showed me the general path for how you would handle the Blight,” Iris said smoothly, hand still out and waiting. “But there are decisions that require more details for consideration. That is where _this_ comes into play as I can look at possibilities of _specific_ circumstances. It cannot be used for situations very far in the future, but this should be close enough in time for me to see.”

The Warden glanced down at the open hand a final time then looked at Iris. Iris only smiled with the eyes as she felt the Warden’s touch and activated her power.

And a power surged forth. The more detailed moving images flew through her mind at a faster rate than prior visions. Sten surrounded by other Qunari in a hazy image. A templar – Cullen – screaming in pain amongst other templars with mages around him cackling in delight. Alistair’s smile towards his ‘sister’. Elissa dealing the final blow to a demon Uldred. Sight of the Sloth demon blurring, feeling the pull of the Fade. Cullen screaming angrily at the Warden, asking her to kill mages, other templars around him weakened. Morrigan getting hit by ‘Flemeth’. Elissa speaking to Cullen as he grieved on the floor, but then he moves to stand, determination on his face. Elissa speaking to Wynne as the woman is grieving over bodies. Cullen delivering the final blow to a demon Uldred, saying a name. Leliana praying with a ‘chantry mother’ by her side. Warden speaking to Irving and Gregoir with a smile. Dog sleeping on the ground in a hazy image. Speaking to Niall with his final goodbye.

When Iris pulled away with a blink, what first registered was the conversation around her. But as other details quickly set in again, she could feel the brow furrowing in concentration at trying to consider the events shown and the plan that formed around the information. That vision was…

“Most unusual…” Morrigan commented as she looked at Iris thoughtfully. “‘Tis clearly magic but magic that is not drawn from the Fade and unlike any I have seen prior. Most curious, indeed…”

Leliana brightened. “Then could it truly be a gift from the Maker?”

Morrigan rolled her eyes as Elissa chuckled. “I’m not certain we can rightly say _that_ , Leliana,” the Warden said tactfully deflecting the train of thought before Morrigan would say anything else.

It was then that Iris finished considering the courses of action and finalized the plan in her mind. It would require some precise wording and for them to push themselves through the travel period, but it should be worth the cost. She only hoped that they wouldn’t be too late.

“It seems I stand corrected, lady Warden,” Iris said with full seriousness in the tone. “We will need to ask for assistance from the Arlessa and Bann immediately. You will need supplies and horses, then you must leave for Kinloch Hold as soon as possible.”

Surprise flashed on Elissa’s face before it turned into concern. “I assume that there is a reason for this urgency?”

“Yes. I saw the opportunity to save more lives than I initially thought possible,” Iris said as she started to walk away from the clearing. Alder followed with a look of concern that matched Elissa, but Iris gave both a reassuring look. “If you leave tonight and hurry to the tower, less will die and you will save a _very_ important man from a fate of pain.”

This spurred the entire party to follow as Elissa fell into step beside Iris. The Seer glanced at the Warden and saw determination in her eyes. “How? What must be done?”

Iris smiled. “I have ideas. I will share them with you on the way to the village. You might not understand them at first but…” Iris recalled the pained face and solidified her resolve. “…trust me when I say that it must be done _exactly_ as I say to assure success.”

Elissa nodded. “If it means that less will suffer, you have my word, Hawkeye.”

Iris gave Elissa a sincere smile in the eyes and beneath the mask as they stepped out of the clearing.

This may be the beginning of a better partnership than she had hoped for.

* * *

_“Bravo.”_

_“It’s strange to miss the mundane, isn’t it?”_

_“Hm. I see you’re as astute as ever.”_

Three days passed since the Warden’s party left for Kinloch Hold. By the geographical knowledge Alder gave her when she wouldn’t stop pestering him cross-referenced with the position of the mark she kept on the Warden, it would be an estimated two more days before they reach the Tower. Two _whole_ days before they would reach the forsaken Tower. It would’ve been _much_ easier and quicker if they could use the _boats,_ but she had to assure that they would bump into Zevran on their way back. Or well, more _he_ would ambush _them_ as Loghain would’ve heard about their tromp through Lothering and Ostagar by now, though they’d have the advantage of horseback. It coincidentally helped her case that were no larger boats left undamaged thanks to the undead and none of the ones that remained could really handle Sten, so they were used for the funeral pyres. Not to mention that she expected that the templars stationed at the docks wouldn’t take kindly to strangers suddenly going to the tower and would’ve shot them on sight in the water.

They were cutting it close. She only hoped that they could make it.

Iris let out a breath in frustration as she looked up at the ceiling.

Time was a strange concept for games, especially one like Dragon Age. It was assumed that no matter what the player did, the events would happen all at once, but each problem would wait for the player to solve it. After all, the player played the hero. They would always be on time to save the day, except if the story called for them to fail. And even if they failed and it led to a game over or an unwelcome result, they could always reload the save and try again. However, it worked differently for real life. There was none of the assurance and time waited for no one. The world moved with or without them, and they would need to react to the world.

So, what would happen if a game turned real?

Time would be less forgiving. There were no pauses, no save points, no waiting for the hero to save the day or make a decision, and while some ‘missions’ didn’t realistically happen all at once anymore, there were some that were more time critical than others.

The Broken Circle was apparently one of these missions. It was funny how neatly the timing worked. The Warden arrived for the beginning of the Arl of Redcliffe quest, just in time to save the village, and it appeared that the event coincided with the blood mages and abominations taking over the Circle Tower. That meant that the slaughter and torment of the mages and templars was only _beginning_ when they spoke that day in the clearing. It also meant that if they hurried, there would be less bodies, less death and less pain. Like Cullen’s pain.

Iris sighed as she recalled the man’s angry shouting in her vision. Even from the game, she didn’t like seeing that version of Cullen. He started out a good man with a more sympathetic view of mages and didn’t deserve that degree of pain as a part of his backstory, especially with how it led to his indoctrination of the more…problematic views of the Templar Order in Dragon Age 2. She suspected it may have also added fuel to the fire of his lyrium addiction so if there was a chance to avoid it, she didn’t see why she shouldn’t take it. Realistically, it wasn’t likely that they could save _all_ the templars but if they could temper the trauma that he would face, then the future Commander would hopefully be better for it.

Iris smiled as she recalled her vision and the unexpected line it provided.

“Remember, Cullen: _Amell_ was a mage,” Iris said, repeating the words from her vision to her empty room. “But she was a _good_ mage. Do not taint her memory. Remember that not _all_ mages are evil. Do not let your hatred consume you. Instead, help us _rightfully_ deal with the mages who wronged her, your templar friends and all innocents like them.”

It was certainly a mouthful, but at the same time, it sounded like something Elissa would’ve said regardless if she knew Cullen’s connection to Amell. When said at the right moment with minimal losses, it would probably lead to the scenario with Cullen taking down Uldred in revenge and she hoped that would give him some catharsis that way.

Looking at the implications, Iris supposed that meant Amell’s story proceeded without punishment, and the Cullen and Amell ship was canon. Even while awkward in Origins, she figured that the Commander-to-be had to have _some_ experience based on Inquisition but didn’t know where _from_ , so that answered that. Maybe the human mage found his early awkwardness quite endearing.

Iris sighed. She would’ve loved to meet Amell. A female Amell was her choice of Warden in her own game. But based on the words that were said…well, she only hoped that the mage died quickly, and Cullen would grow from this. Based on what she saw, the latter was likely though she didn’t think it would be an automatic fix. There were no such things and it would be a long road to recovery. It wouldn’t be nearly as bad as the game’s original scenario but…trauma was trauma, nonetheless.

Would this mean his ‘character’ was less ‘interesting’ given there was less tragedy? Perhaps. But while the comparisons were there, she couldn’t see him simply as a character. He was a person, just as the others were people. She could only hope this small change meant he’d be a better person and maybe become more level-headed in Dragon Age 2 – not his naïve self, but not an anti-mage zealot either.

Was it considered cheating if she would give information like this? She wasn’t sure, but she did think that this is exactly what her ability was for. So, Iris passed the ‘speech’ on to Elissa in a note for her ease before they left. The Seer guessed that the Warden would undoubtedly have memorized it by the time they arrived at the Tower.

Iris smiled as she sat up from her spot in bed and recalled the final ‘advice’ she gave them as they were leaving.

“Are you certain you can’t come with us?” Elissa asked from atop the horse the Bann provided. “We might be able to steal you away if we hurry.”

Iris laughed from beneath the cowl. “I wouldn’t joke about that.” She jutted a thumb at the general direction of the Seeker who stood a ways behind her. “Alder is quite powerful and _fiercely_ protective. It’s almost smothering but I would say it’s more endearing.”

Elissa laughed in turn. Then her gaze settled on Iris with a pleasant smile. “Any last words of advice then, Seer?”

Iris smiled beneath the cowl. With Alder out of earshot, she took her chance and spoke in a lower tone. “Only that the answer to this problem may fly in unexpectedly, so do watch out.”

“Fly?” Elissa repeated, picking up on the strange turn of phrase. “Is this another of your cryptic predictions?”

“Perhaps,” Iris said in a neutral tone, trying to hide her satisfaction. “You’ll understand on your journey back. Do be careful, Elissa.”

Iris chuckled aloud at the memory. She almost wished she could see the look on Elissa’s face when she would realize what the clue meant. Would it be surprised? Exasperated? Complimentary of her handing over the solution? Well, she wouldn’t really know as her seeing it was not meant to be. She supposed that she was better off not going to the Tower anyway. The idea of her dealing with demons and abominations was…upsetting, to say the least.

But being reminded of what they would face down the road gave Iris an additional drive better herself and her skills. In the past few days, she spent time village in their rebuilding efforts and resting from the exertion of the battle. Though she served as an occasional messenger and assisted with the soup kitchen efforts of feeding the workers, it was still a productive though slower and happier time. It felt as if things were really returning to normal.

Now, she had some time to herself again and she was starting it off with a lazier morning, taking her time to get out of bed. Iris yawned through her stretch as she felt the exerted muscles pull at the effort, sending a relaxed pleasure through her. She sighed in happiness at the peace…

…and a knock sounded from the door to her room.

“Iris dear, are you awake?” the ever-familiar caring voice of Dahlia asked from the other side.

Iris smiled. “I am. Do you need something, Dahlia?”

The door opened then and both Dahlia and Alder walked through, looking strangely more serious than she had ever seen them. Iris blinked in confusion as Dahlia sat by Iris’ bedside and Alder walked up to the window to check outside, as if he were making sure they weren’t being watched. Afterwards, he pulled up the only chair in the room and sat on hit backwards, resting his folded arms against the backrest.

“Is something the matter?” Iris inquired with confusion clear in the voice.

“Only keeping my promise, little mage,” Alder said as he rested his chin on his arms. “Had to be sure our secrets _stay_ secret.”

“Ah,” Iris said as the words sparked the memory recall. Lips curved into a pleased smile. “Is today the day I receive my answers then?”

Alder laughed heartily. “Sorry for keeping you in suspense, but we _were_ preoccupied for the last few days. So, before time escapes us again, best to have this part done.”

Iris hummed in agreement, trying to contain her excitement at finally getting confirmation.

“Before we begin,” Alder said with curiosity. “Would like to know: did you have an idea of what was happening?”

Iris gave him a small uncovered smile. “Not initially,” she admitted. “But small observations accumulated from my time with both of you. Each pieced together until they formed a picture and I drew my own conclusions.”

Alder smirked. “Oh? Then you understand what this is?”

Iris glanced between them with the knowing smile returning. “You're recruiting me for an organization, aren't you?”

Alder smirk grew wider as he encouraged her. “Go on. Let's see how much you know then.”

“Is this part of the initiation?” she teased.

The mercenary chuckled. “No. Just us having a bit of fun.”

Iris laughed. “Fun it is.” She gestured as she showcased her points. “I assume it deals with information, given that Leliana called you an _informer_.” The last word said in Orlesian, repeating what she heard in the conversation they had that day. Though she didn’t catch the entire discussion, she caught enough to understand. “One that likely deals in information across multiple countries with your language skill and how both of you are well-travelled.” She glanced at Alder with a smile. “Tell me, is it through _all_ of Thedas?”

“What do you think?” he asked her back with the smirk still on his face.

“I would assume so, given that your key information points are likely Dahlia's family members.” Her gaze shifted to Dahlia. “They're scattered, assumedly competent and loyal with how they owe you their lives.” She recalled the early days of Dahlia taking care of her, all her stories of her ‘strays’ and what the woman did so frequently. “I've never noted someone to write as many letters as you do daily, which means that the true heart and head of the organization is likely you, Dahlia.”

Alder laughed out heartily at her conclusion. “See that, Dahlia? I might not need to do any talking at this rate.”

Dahlia nodded approvingly, eyes gleamed with more cunning and intelligence than Iris had previously seen. The Seer suppressed a shiver.

“Very smart, our Iris.” The old woman sat straighter then, her aura changing from kind to the capable danger that Iris saw that first night of the undead attacks. “Then you understand how we work, dear?”

Iris thought for a moment before answering. She recalled the points of interest for this in first two nights at the tavern with Alder, and Dahlia in the open area before the chantry. “My guess is multiple sources and drop-off points. I noticed Bella and the children, but you could have more.”

“Won't confirm or deny that _yet_ ,” Alder said teasingly. “Any more?”

Iris thought a little more…and an observation hit her about what they had in common. She turned to glance between them with a neutral expression. “You use people who are down on their luck, don't you?”

Alder smirked. “Wondered if you'd pick up on that.” He straightened and waved his hand as he spoke. “But it isn't 'using' when we pay them _fairly_ for the information they give. We never force them to be a part of it -- they do so _willingly_.”

Dahlia nodded slowly in approval as Alder spoke before chiming in herself. “We deal with those who remain unseen by society but need help the most.” She smiled softly. “We give them a chance when no one else will. And, you know, it only proves how many there are when I’m able to create quite the organization right under everyone's noses.”

Iris resisted the urge to squint at the soft smile. Was it a trick of the mind or was there…an edge to it?

“And it's only convenience's sake that they're also the ones that will not be missed if something befell them?” the Seer pointed out.

“Danger of the job,” Alder stated easily with a shrug. Iris was a little unnerved at how nonchalant that sounded when talking of people’s lives but…she supposed she couldn’t expect anything different.

“And with different contact points…” Iris went on as she thought about their set-up. All over Thedas. People who won’t be missed. The biggest benefit was… “…they can't be traced back to you so easily.” She assumed there were more precautions than that, which is why they were still standing. She wondered how far this really ran.

Dahlia smiled appreciatively. “Exactly, dear. Very good. You’ve pieced together the important parts.”

“Thank you.” It was reassuring to know that her wit and observational skills hadn’t dulled since her arrival in the world. She wasn’t a detective by any means, but she didn’t almost attain her degree based on nothing. “Now, if you don’t mind a question of my own…what of those you choose for your so-called family?”

Dahlia’s smile turned genuine and soft as she reached out to hold a hand. “You all start the same: works of charity.” The smile turned sad and her gaze turned distant, likely recalling memories. “All resulting from the worst kind of luck and beaten down by circumstances. I usually happen upon you by chance and take care of you to see what you become.” Her gaze shifted back to Iris. “Those with the potential are given the chance to join. Those without are sent on their way without knowing who or what we are. The truly dangerous ones are…” The edge in her smile returned. “…taken care of.”

Iris suppressed a shudder and opted to straighten. She wouldn’t be cowed by her own de facto mother. “And what am I then?”

“That's for you to decide, dear. And though I can guess, we don't work with dubious answers here, you know.”

That was fair. Iris took the time and considered the facts as they lay before her. Alder and Dahlia were the leaders of an international information brokerage that utilized the less fortunate, the desperate and those who needed help for their network. It almost sounded like the operations from The Game of Thrones’ Master of Whisperers mixed with a spy ring that operated in location-based cells and had family ties like the mafia. Between all three organizations she stated, it was a _solid_ operation. They didn’t seem to use their knowledge for evil, considering what Alder had done with Dwyn, Berwick and Owen, and seemed to deal with those that had influence such as Bann Teagan, but she didn’t know the extent of their full clientele. It didn’t seem to include Loghain or Howe given their countering Berwick, so that was reassuring.

They seemed to care and showed it in a way which sat in a gray area of “questionable ends justifying better means”. After all, she couldn’t overlook the element of emotional manipulation and exploiting a life debt their recruits could never repay…but Iris couldn’t say that she didn’t take advantage of what they offered. Attachment aside, she felt a manner of _respect_ for them in their ways as she also used them to assure her own survival in Thedas. She accepted their help and only wondered why they helped her when Alder first caught her with her abilities, but as time went on, the answer became obvious.

They used her, she used them.

It was a beneficial relationship as a baseline and caring for each other was a nice way to solidify the connection.

It was funny how that fit. They picked her up in Lothering with the intention of seeing if she would be a nice addition to the ‘family’ and she was quick to use what they provided her as a chance to adjust to the world.

They fit together perfectly – standing in the area of utilitarian respect and sentiment.

Her answer couldn’t be clearer.

Iris turned to Dahlia with a small smile. A hand reached out to hold the old woman’s hand gently in a way that mimicked how Dahlia did so for on occasion. “Then consider me another official member to your family, Dahlia.”

Dahlia beamed with happiness. “I knew you'd do me proud, dear.”

Alder grinned approvingly as he leaned forward on the chair. “Welcome to Whisper, little mage.”

Iris smiled. Whisper. Subtle and conspiratorial. How fitting.

* * *

_The bright light of whiteness, comfort and dream._

_Eyes soft with kindness, peace and home._

The days that followed were a little changed from the routine prior to the attacks. Yes, she still trained in both physical and magical aspects of her abilities, but Alder and Dahlia saw to it that she had training with Whisper operations on top of it. She knew that the organization had to have its processes and procedures for it to be as enduring and reputable as it was, but she underestimated the amount of things she had to learn. From key locations and contacts of each existing Whisper cell, to secret phrases and passcodes for sending messages to knowing who a Whisper informer or informant was, they made sure she knew it _all_. It was one of the times when she was glad that she could simply pull the information from them instead of learning it the old-fashioned way since it saved time _and_ brain processing power, but the tests that followed to assure she could use the knowledge still proved mentally challenging. Nonetheless, it was useful, and she would do her part as a member of this new ‘family’.

On the times they didn’t quiz and question, they taught her the practical parts of the operation through doing actual work for them. Since Alder already taught her the basics of information gathering with her powers, it was easier to learn the other aspects like identifying when a person could be recruited as a potential Whisper connection, utilizing the secret phrases where they had Bella assist, and forming subtle deals with informants where she wouldn’t give anything away. Iris smiled at the memory of some of these operations. Her favorite was one that net a positive reputation with Murdock and the knights which made it easier to ask for Sten’s Asala among Dwyn’s belongings.

Spending time with the pair in this way also allowed her to see the other sides to them. She learned that Alder was Dahlia’s right-hand man, which is why he never left her side. He was one of the many information brokers who negotiated with nobles, knights and other powers, but also acted on what intel they received under Dahlia’s orders. Dahlia was still the biggest surprise. Her cunning and intelligence overshadowed the sweet old lady impression Iris had built all this time, and while it was amazing to see her work, share strategies and explain their operations through Thedas, it was also terrifying to realize how much power this woman held.

But this wasn’t the only aspect she progressed in.

On the magical front, she expanded the mastery of her unique magic for all three abilities she knew, no longer prioritizing one over the others. When the only limits she had were her reserves, time in the day and drive to learn, her skill with them grew by the day and she even discovered a new ability related to the mark that happened in the most hilarious fashion.

It happened one afternoon when she and Alder were training her stamina, tracking skill and use of the mark with a game of tag. Iris had been chasing him through the area of the Hinterlands closest to the village for the better part of an hour and getting increasingly frustrated as he continued to outpace her no matter what parkour tricks she employed.

She _mentally_ cursed at him and said, “Damn you and your longer legs, Alder!”

It was only when the Seeker whipped his head in her direction and tripped over a protruding tree root that he realized he somehow _heard_ her thought that wasn’t spoken out loud. This discovery of a limited telepathy caused them to poke and prod at her abilities again for hours, trying experiments to explore this new ability and see if there were any other new developments. It yielded the additional discoveries of her ability to mark up to five things and use one more Eye. Small changes by comparison to the telepathy, but she would take it.

She smiled as she watched the second ball of light dancing around the clearing opposite the trajectory of the first as she willed both to patrol around and mirror each other in random shapes and patterns, to get accustomed to controlling two Eyes at once. It was certainly going to be more useful when she could send them in opposite directions so long as they didn’t move too far out of her range. Though she was thankful and mildly amused that using both wasn’t like seeing a split screen and was more like switching between two monitors. It was easier and more familiar, yes, but the ongoing gaming theme seemed to be a little on the nose. What was next? An item box? Iris paused to consider the thought. Actually, that one would be nice to have.

On the physical front of her training though, it was a different story.

While her technical progress with the weapons and other practical rogue skills were doing well enough, the progress with her parkour was significantly slower as she was limited to what Bethany’s body could take. She wanted to do more, grow further and push the limit, but she _couldn’t_ for risk of dealing any lasting damage to the body with her recklessness. Yes, she could heal, but there was only so much she could heal with her limited magic. If only there was a way to safely quicken the process or even adjust the limit of the body. If she could just _magically_ make herself do better physically then maybe—

Eyes widened in realization, recalling a feature specific to Dragon Age Origins. She cursed at herself as palm met the face in frustration. Why had she not thought of that _sooner_? This meant that she really _had_ to go with the Warden as they were the only ones with the access to the place where she could retrieve the item needed. If she could get this, then it would solve _all_ her problems with the limitations and greatly speed up her progress.

Fists clenched in determination as she made her decision. If she rearranged plans a little, this would be viable. All she needed now was—

Head whipped around at the familiar feel of magic that approached the clearing, causing Alder to move closer to her in preparation for whatever was coming. She smiled underneath the cowl and placed a hand on his arm in reassurance. It seemed that she didn’t need to wait any longer as she watched Elissa and the party move into the clearing…and she noted that they were accompanied by two more people.

Alder relaxed at their entrance, hand moving away from his weapon but cautiously noting the two new faces.

“Ah,” Iris exclaimed happily, eyes showcasing her approval as she turned to face the group. “I see you’ve returned.” She glanced towards the two familiar companions and nodded at them in acknowledgement. “And with the new allies, as expected.”

Alder glanced at Iris in question – likely for why he hadn’t been warned about these ‘new allies’ – but she ignored him. She deliberately kept that information to herself as he would’ve likely countered her if he caught on.

“Who are they then?” Alder asked with a frown, glancing between Iris and Elissa and waiting for one of them to explain.

“The latest addition to our little band,” Elissa said with a gesture to Wynne and Zevran.

“Greetings to you both,” the old woman said pleasantly. “I am Wynne, a Senior Enchanter from the Circle of Magi.”

Alder’s eyebrow rose in question. “Oh? Didn’t think they’d allow a Senior Enchanter out of the tower.” His eyes narrowed at her in scrutiny. “A Spirit Healer at that.” Wynne’s eyes showcased her alarm and confusion with Alder’s precise observation, but he didn’t give her a chance to say more as he turned to Zevran. Alder looked at him appraisingly with a frown. “And you are?”

Zevran took this as his cue to step forward. “A pleasure to meet you.” He put on a charming smile. “My name is Zevran, Zev to my friends. Expert assassin, Antivan Crow…” He gave Elissa a quick side glance and smirked. “…and the answer to your little dilemma, or so I am told.”

Alder was taken aback, eyes widening in realization and he immediately looked to Elissa. “You’re _seriously_ suggesting—”

“I am,” Elissa confirmed, cutting Alder off with a confidence in her words. “We offer you the services of an Antivan Crow as Hawkeye’s hired guard.” She gestured at Zevran. “He will be loyal to her alone and assure her safety. In exchange, the Seer will journey with us to help end the Blight.” Her eyes met Alder’s and lips curved into a triumphant smile. “So, would this reassurance suffice, Alder?”

He broke away from her gaze to seek out Iris, looking at her accusatorily. “You. You _knew_ this would happen, didn’t you?”

Iris stifled a laugh at the look on his face and faced him straight on, amusement in the eyes. “I was hoping it would.” Her gaze shifted to Elissa and her tone turned appreciative. “Well done, lady Warden. I knew you’d understand.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got lots of notes for this one.
> 
> First, canon divergence. Highlighting time + Cullen, then tackling Iris' Seer reveal, Alder's interference and Zevran's new role.
> 
> Not gonna lie: I found the time and Cullen plot point on accident while writing the chapter. See, I was always going to make sure that all the main questline didn't happen at the same time because it wasn't realistic. So I made an excel sheet that helps me map out what happens in canon simultaneously so I know where all the pieces fall. I took the canon timeline based on what was said for the Broken Circle, and LO AND BEHOLD, it fit in the way I described in story when I applied time in a realistic way. This was also my fix for Cullen because I think he deserves more nuance and attention to become a compelling character, and I hated the torture porn level of violence inflicted on him. He doesn't need to be the _last man alive_ to be traumatized, thank you. @_@
> 
> Iris' Seer reveal, Alder's interference and Zevran's new role put together is my answer to "why would the party take this MCIT along with them on their very dangerous journey?". I wanted something compelling and not "just because she's main character". This is why the set-up chapters were so important to build-up her skillset and establish her competence, which hopefully led to her joining the party as MUCH more believable. Alder served as the voice of reason for why she shouldn't and hammer in the non-combatant point, and Zev became the highlighted solution and would compensate for her lack of fighting. It _has_ to be Zev because everyone else either has their own agenda or a future that Iris shouldn't interfere with. Zev is undeniably the most flexible piece on the board. Tbh though, there are a few other reasons, but you'll find out later. XD
> 
> Now, Whisper. Whisper is a point of pride for me, tbh. I had seeded that thing since chapter 2 and have been peppering hints through other chapters ever since, using cues from Agatha Christie in execution. The hints are _subtle_ but when you see them, they are _there_. This is also my answer to the question "why would anyone pick up a random schmuck off the side of the road and care for them?". Because if we think about it, it goes against survival instinct since you can't be sure if the person won't just rob you, kill you or whatever else ESPECIALLY during a Blight. Leaving it up in the air or "because story dictates that you need it" never felt satisfying to me, and neither has "because they are good people!", so I took it in a different direction that made sense. This is also conveniently packaged together with my answer for how an information network worked in the setting because that felt like an element that was lacking for a smarter story and a more dangerous world, while adding even _more_ nuance to Alder and Dahlia. This is also confirmation that I'm using Whisper as an element in all the books, varying in mileage. XD


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: mentions of canon character death, emotional breakdown from trauma

Iris smiled to herself from under the cowl as she and Alder led the way home with Elissa and Zevran behind them. She loved it when plans went exactly as she hoped, and their work with the Broken Circle quest went better than she thought.

With the quick action taken in response to her vision, Elissa and the group were able to save more mages _and_ templars in the tower than she had thought. Yes, there were still those among the mages forcibly turned into abominations and templars tortured by blood mages, but it wasn’t anywhere _near_ as bad as it could have been. More than half the population either escaped to the base of the tower, hid within the tower or were captured but left untouched as they waited their turn for whatever Uldred had planned.

They even managed to time their journey just as Gregoir’s messenger passed and intercepted the man before he could take off any further down the Imperial Highway and send word for the Rite of Annulment. It took some convincing, but the messenger was amenable to giving them time once Elissa made it clear that they were going to save the Tower with less bloodshed.

When asked about Cullen, Elissa mentioned that they arrived just as he and a few other templars were being tortured from within a barrier as predicted. It seemed that they had only started breaking the templars with illusions and Cullen had been doing well against it that they had to take Amell and kill her to create a dent in his mental armor. But even then, the man wouldn’t break, and killing the woman he cared about only seemed to anger him.

“And he wanted you to kill the mages in retaliation?” Iris asked, glancing back at Elissa.

“Yes,” the Warden confirmed. “But that speech you had me memorize redirected the anger and blame solely to Ulrdred. To his credit, having templars in a fight against mages and abominations made it much easier.”

Iris nodded with a pleased smile under the cowl. “Then we’ve done the best we can.”

“Did we?” Elissa questioned. “You sound so certain but if we moved quicker, couldn’t the situation be avoided altogether?”

Iris flinched. “Unfortunately, no.” Eyes softened. “As much as we'd wish otherwise, I'm afraid we can’t always protect the world from pain.”

Elissa blinked in surprise at the sudden seriousness and Zevran raised his brow in question. Even Alder looked on her with concern and confusion, but Iris took the lapse as a chance to look forward and change the topic of conversation as they arrived at the house.

“But enough of that for now,” Iris said with a smile in the voice. “Let’s go inside, shall we?”

The door opened and the first thing to greet them was the smell of sweetness and spice, followed by the warmth of a kitchen. Iris beamed from behind the cowl at the sight of Dahlia taking a batch of pastries from the oven and Alder beelined for the plate of pastries on the table. The Seer was almost sad that the others wouldn’t be able to join them to sample these, especially Sten. He might’ve loved them most of all. However, they had to lead the mages and their templar escorts to Redcliffe Castle and prepare for the ritual. This was only meant to be a quick stop for Iris, Elissa and Zevran to iron out their deal…

…though she wondered if Dahlia had other plans.

“Ah,” Dahlia said as she put down the tray on the countertop and left the pastries to cool. “I was wondering when you two would return.” Her gaze shifted to Elissa and Zevran as she smiled warmly. “And I see you’ve brought company, as expected.”

“As expect—” Alder looked at Iris incredulously before he bit into a pastry. “Wait, you told _her_ and not _me_?”

Dahlia chuckled as she moved to the table and Iris pretended to suddenly find a spot on the ceiling very interesting.

“My daughter tells me everything,” Dahlia said. Then she gestured for Elissa and Zevran to join them. “Now, come in and sit. I have snacks ready for you.”

Elissa gave a sheepish smile. “Oh, we really shouldn’t.”

“I insist,” Dahlia said as she ushered Elissa in. “They’re fresh from the oven.”

Zevran chuckled as he followed the pair. “I, for one, will not argue with a woman who knows her way in the kitchen. It has been some time since we’ve had _good_ food, Warden.”

It took no time before the two of them settled, though Zevran elected to stand. Both dug into the provided food with Alder while Iris sat at one end of the table watching them devour the sweets. She would’ve partaken as well but…a hand absent-mindedly played with the edge of the cowl to distract herself from the uncomfortable thought of them seeing the face.

As Iris fought the thoughts, Elissa looked up at Dahlia with happiness in her eyes. “These are very good.”

“My compliments to your skill.” Zevran waved the pastry in his hand in emphasis. “Your children are quite lucky to partake in such delights.”

Dahlia smiled at them warmly as she put down the plate of the cooled ones at the table. “Thank you, dears. They’re a recipe I’ve perfected over the years. Do take some with you for your other companions too.” Then the old woman took her seat the other end of the table next to Elissa, hands resting on her lap in a pleasant smile. “Now, I understand that you don’t have much time, so I’ll go straight to business. What’s this I hear about wanting to have our Hawkeye join you, hm?”

Elissa straightened and cleared her throat, though some of the crumbs stuck to the side of her lip.

“To state it plainly,” she said. “We are in need of her offered services as a Seer and have agreed to provide her protection in exchange.”

Dahlia nodded and hummed in acknowledgement, as if taking the time to process the words. Her attention turned to Zevran, where the assassin stood behind Elissa. “And _you_ are this protection, are you?”

He immediately gave her his most charming smile. “Zevran of the Antivan Crows, at your service.”

Dahlia took her time to look at him, sizing him up in a couple of sweeping glances. Then, she stood up from her chair and opted to take a closer look at him, circling as she went. Zevran, for his part, followed her position with his gaze but appeared to be relaxed and confident, standing with hands on his hips.

“Oh, he’s strong.” Dahlia’s hand moved to stroke her chin in consideration. “And an assassin, so very nimble.” Her gaze rested on his face with a gentle smile. “And quite handsome too.”

Zevran returned the smile with a pleased one of his own. “You are most kind, madam.”

Dahlia’s smile brightened. “And a gentleman.” She walked back to her seat and nodded as she sat. “Yes, he’ll do nicely for our Hawkeye.”

Iris didn’t expect that phrasing but forced herself to keep still, appearing to give no reaction as she watched them all. Thankfully, this was easily accomplished with the cowl that hid the face, even while she could feel the heat from the cheeks all the way to the ears in embarrassment.

“You can’t be serious,” Alder said incredulously.

“Hush, son,” Dahlia chastised before turning back to Elissa. “Your choice in guard is certainly well-thought out.” The approval was clear in her tone…but then her eyes said something more. Iris noted that they looked…harder? “But you understand that Hawkeye is more than a Seer, correct?”

“You speak of her scouting abilities?” Elissa said.

Dahlia nodded and hummed in confirmation. “And more. She’s a clever girl, you know.” Her hand waved to Iris’ direction in emphasis. “I take it you’ve seen how she plans, so I suspect that you’ll be benefiting from the plans that mind yields, won’t you?”

“If she is our ally,” Elissa said carefully but still steady. Iris noted a hint of wariness and confusion in the undertone of her voice. “Then I’d hope she would do what she could to help, yes.”

In a rare moment, Dahlia’s eyes showed her cunning as her smile widened. “Then that isn’t a very fair trade, now is it?”

Elissa was taken aback by the shift, her brow furrowing at the position she found herself in. Iris noted that Zevran’s eyes narrowed from behind Elissa before his expression turned into an appreciative smirk. The Seer mentally sighed for the Warden. In her time training under them, she learned what it meant to be on the planning end of one of Dahlia’s strategies and the ‘merchant’ wasn’t someone to underestimate. Dahlia played the role of the ‘little old lady’ type well, and though she _was_ one in some ways, it didn’t mean that the former mercenary wasn’t without her claws. She _was_ a former player in The Game, after all. She wouldn’t have survived this long if she wasn’t _good_ at what she did.

At the hesitation from Elissa, Iris chose this point to speak up to give her a break. “My terms did include a favor from each member of their group, Dahlia.”

Dahlia looked to her daughter, pleased to know that Iris was already a step ahead. “Ah, is that so?” She turned back to Elissa. “And did they agree?”

Elissa took the moment to regain her composure. “I did speak to my companions on the matter. They have agreed, provided there are limitations for the exchanged favor.”

Dahlia hummed in appreciation. “I see that we can negotiate properly then. Very good, dear. Best to get that in writing.” Elissa tensed, but Dahlia waved off her worry. “Oh, you’d humor the request of an old lady, wouldn’t you? I’m a merchant by trade, you see. I’ve had to learn a thing or two about contracts when you travel so often and we take our business very seriously here.” The old woman smiled, though it held something more. “And I think you’d understand the value of a written contract as proof, now wouldn’t you?”

Elissa sighed and Iris wondered if that was in relief that it was over or tiredness with the exchange. “Of course. I would not have expected less with your…business acumen.”

It took only a few moments for Dahlia to draft the contract. With her daily practice in writing letters for Whisper correspondences, Iris expected no less from the woman’s speed and efficiency. Elissa and Zevran stayed on either side of her as Elissa clarified the terms and exact wording, now more on guard with understanding Dahlia’s capability. They even included a stipulation for secrecy of Iris’ powers for her protection, unless she was the one who revealed herself, and a tidy sum for Zevran if he saw to her protection until the end of the Blight.

Iris could only hide her smile behind the cowl when the draft was finished, and they took their turns to sign both copies of the document. Once done, they stood from the table and got ready to leave as Dahlia looked over the documents once more to assure everything was in order.

“This will do nicely,” Dahlia said with a pleasant smile and a nod. “Now, you have other business to attend to at the castle, don’t you, dears? You wouldn’t want to be late, you know.” She rolled up both sheets of parchment and handed them to Alder. “And you, son, would you be so kind as to assure both copies get all their signatures?”

Alder took the sheets with a grin and strode out the door with a wave. “We’ll be back before supper. Save some treats for me!”

Elissa took this chance to reach out and offer a hand to Dahlia. “This was an enlightening experience, Dahlia.” The old woman smiled and returned the handshake as Elissa continued. “I almost want to ask who you are, but I gather that I won’t be receiving an answer.”

Dahlia laughed lightly as she pulled back her hand placed it demurely on her cheek.

“I don’t know what you mean, dear,” she said innocently and trying to play up her frailty. “I’m only a simple merchant caring for my family.”

Elissa returned the laugh as Zevran shook his head from behind her with a chuckle.

“Of course,” Elissa said good-naturedly as she turned to the door. “It was nice meeting you. Thank you for your time.”

The Warden stepped out with Zevran in tow. Iris moved to follow them, but Dahlia caught an arm. The Seer looked at her mother in question for a second, but the older woman didn’t miss a beat as Dahlia smoothly slid a pack undoubtedly filled with pastries into the arms as she spoke.

“She’s a good leader,” Dahlia stated with approval. “Diplomatic, well-educated and reasonable. A little trusting, but she’ll certainly need that for allies.”

Iris smiled beneath the cowl. “Like I said?”

Dahlia chuckled in turn as she led Iris to the door. “And more.” She waved goodbye, bidding Iris to casually proceed. “I have high hopes for this Warden if she is the way to Ferelden’s future.”

Iris smiled at Dahlia with the eyes. “As do I.”

Then she followed the Warden’s retreating back as Elissa’s form bathed in the sunshine of the day.

* * *

Iris vaguely wondered if the feeling of déjà vu would ever leave her as more of the game’s events unfolded or if it would be a perpetual niggling in the back of her mind.

The thought passed as she leaned against the wall of the hall and watched the mages move around the large space, preparing for the ritual that would free Conner from his demon. Movements were streamlined and practiced for a few mages including Wynne, like they’d done this before, while the rest looked to these presumed Senior Enchanters for guidance of how to proceed. A few templars were stationed by the room’s entrances, guarding with stiff postures and full-plate armor. A very _blonde_ Cullen stood by the doorway to the courtyard with another knight, though she noted that his empty stare fixed at the same spot for a long while. It was a concerning sight but understandable given what he faced.

A wave of empathy for him washed over her but knew she couldn’t and _shouldn’t_ engage first if they were to speak. She didn’t have enough information to confirm if he would _want_ to speak to her or how he was processing this, but she assumed that Elissa had to provide an explanation for how she acquired the information on Amell…so she would have to wait and see.

For now, she diverted her attention back to the long table where Elissa and her group huddled around the contract as each remaining member of the party took their turn to sign with Alder present. Morrigan stood off to the side with a scowl on her face as she watched the mages. Zevran stood a few feet from her, appearing to look around the room but she noted his attention slid her way often. Her gaze caught his in her own sweep, but she immediately looked away while swallowing down the self-consciousness. Alistair stood beside Elissa as they watched Leliana sign the paper with a flourish. Dog and Sten stood at the wall closest to them as the Sten held the pack of pastries and ate them with gusto. Iris bit back a giggle beneath the cowl and hoped that the sweet offering earned her brownie points with the Qunari.

Eyes landed back to the Warden in contemplation. She had to admit that she was pleasantly surprised when Elissa mentioned that she got everyone to agree to that favor condition. She didn’t think some _would_ , really. But when she looked at the contract and read the terms, she understood. The limits basically outlined that Iris couldn’t ask them for anything that may be detrimental to their lives and well-being or go against their core principles. While it may narrow options for what Iris planned, it still gave her enough leeway to use them as cards in her pocket with what they would become. She didn’t know how much the deal would be honored by the group, especially Sten, but that was why she had contingencies for it.

She simply had to make sure that things went as planned.

When the last signature was drawn onto the document and Elissa and Alder each took a copy, it coincided with the mages finishing their preparations as Wynne called forth Bann Teagan, Arlessa Isolde, Jowan and the Warden’s group to proceed.

Only Zevran stayed where he was, and she vaguely wondered if that meant his job as a bodyguard already started. She was fine, if that were the case. After all, there were worse things to happen in the last few days than having an attractive Dalish elf assassin follow her around.

Alder stationed himself protectively between Iris and the Zevran – she noted a glance at the elf with a frown which Zevran responded with a smirk – and crossed his arms as he mimicked her in leaning against the wall.

“So,” Alder said in a low tone with a teasing smirk. “What are the chances of success, oh great Seer?”

Iris resisted the urge to roll the eyes, as the group’s discussion of who to send carried through the hall.

“High. Unless there is a bizarre accident in the Fade, they should be fine,” Iris confirmed as they chose Morrigan. She smiled under the mask in approval. A prudent decision as the Shapeshifter was the one with tank and DPS capabilities among the mages present, so it wouldn’t take too long to vanquish the Desire demon.

As they handed Morrigan the lyrium required for the ritual, Iris pushed off the wall to stand and passively noted that Zevran’s head turned to observe her intently.

“And where are you going?” Alder questioned with a raised brow.

“Out for a walk,” Iris said as she shook the legs, one at a time. “My legs feel like they’ll fall asleep at any moment. Not to worry, I won’t be long.”

He scoffed behind her. “Only you would be so relaxed while they deal with a _demon_ , Hawkeye.”

Iris gave him a dismissive wave as she glanced at her new bodyguard in question and invitation. He returned her look with an amused smirk but didn’t move. She took it as her cue to turn and leisurely walk towards the doorway out. The other knight nodded to her in courtesy and as she nodded back in acknowledgement, she subtly side glanced at Cullen. His eyes follow her form as she passed him. Eyes that no longer seemed empty and instead, were alive with a torrent of emotions.

She pretended not to see it but continued to feel the intensity of his gaze as she passed the multiple doorways and opened one of the double doors to the courtyard.

The silence of the space was a stark contrast to the bustle in the main hall. If Iris was honest, this was a welcome change. She let out a sigh of relief at the peace and brief respite, walking to the side of the elevated section. It had been a long day, but she knew it was far from over. If her psychology knowledge was correct, this would only be the calm before the storm. She wasn’t excited for what may happen and would welcome being wrong but…with the way he looked at her, she didn’t think she was.

Eyes scanned the open space, devoid of the staff that once helped the castle. A person or two passed on occasion but it was a far cry from what was needed to run the place. Such a pity. The situation with the undead ended many lives…and it all stemmed from the decision of one boy who wanted to help his father. It’s said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and although hell didn’t exist in Thedas, it was still painfully true.

As she briefly wondered how long it would take for Redcliffe to get back on its feet, the door opened again but since she didn’t hear the clank of metal, she deduced it could only be one other person.

“Good of you to join me,” she called out, still facing forward. “I could use the company.”

An amused chuckle followed, and she spared a glance to see Zevran leaning against the empty guard station behind her. She frowned at realizing that she didn’t hear him move and yet he was able to get so close to her. It was both impressive yet unnerving. She may need to place a mark on him later to be sure he couldn’t sneak up on her again.

“I couldn’t very well leave my client alone,” he said smoothly with a smile. He quickly looked at her form from head to toe and she fought the urge to cross the arms defensively. “Much less a beautiful woman. It would reflect poorly on me as an assassin and as a man.”

Beautiful woman. Pain struck at the words.

He saw— He wasn’t—

Iris recoiled at the ‘compliment’ but forcibly stopped the thoughts and tried to still. She hoped that she was in control enough not to show, but when he raised his eyebrow in question, she concluded that it was too much to hope for. She sighed and was about to launch into her explanation—

—when a sound cut through the moment of peace.

It was faint at first but grew louder with time. The telltale clank of metal hitting the stone floor from the other side of the door only meant a man in full plate coming to their direction.

All as she expected.

“My apologies, Zevran,” Iris said as her hardened gaze fixed on the door and she fought the building nervousness. “It seems that I’ll need to attend to another guest.”

She moved past Zevran’s position but stayed parallel to the guard station to prepare for what would happen. The fear crawled up the spine. Nervousness tried to grip at her. Being shaken by the Crow didn’t help her state but she would fight it. She could face this. She had no choice _but_ to face it. It was her responsibility to do so.

She glanced at the assassin’s direction to see him peering over to the door in curiosity. She paused in consideration at his presence. He could be a factor in this, and she should make it so that he wasn’t.

“Whatever might happen…” He looked to her, but she turned away to look at the courtyard again, pretending like she had been standing like that the entire time. “…don’t do anything. Please let me handle it.”

If the assassin reacted to her request, she didn’t see it. Her focus was only on the door as it opened, but she didn’t turn to it as she tried to stay impassive with face and body looking out at the courtyard. The clank of metal rang louder, no longer muffled by the thick wood, and signaled the arrival of her expected company.

The door closed behind him. Zevran stayed quiet behind her. Iris took in one last slow breath to brace herself for what was to come.

“Yes?” she said as she slowly turned to regard the new arrival with knowing eyes. “How may I assist you, Ser Cullen Stanton Rutherford?”

Cullen flinched at the sound of his name, stopping his movement. “So, you’re—” His voice broke with emotion and his fist clenched in determination as he tried again, stepping forward to move closer to Iris. “Are you the Seer that lady Elissa spoke of?

“I wasn’t aware that she mentioned me.” Hand drifted to her cowl and gently tugged the edge of her hood in emphasis. “Did the cowl give it away?”

“The way you act, honestly,” Cullen explained in a low tone as he stood a few feet from her. “Everyone is tense and nervous, but you seem…calm. Too calm.”

“As if I know what is to happen, you mean?” Iris said, matching his tone.

“Then…it’s true? You really know the future?” He forced out the words, as if the fact was a bitter pill to swallow. She could only imagine it was.

“I can see what was, what is and what will be,” Iris patiently confirmed. “I do not know _everything,_ but I can tell when someone has a question for me.”

Metal clanked as he clenched his fist again with more force. This wasn’t in determination though. It was in anger.

“I…”

He hesitated. Iris could see the range of emotions again warring within his eyes. Pain, anger, despair, grief—

“Is it about your ordeal?” Iris asked softly, cutting through his indecision. “Or is it about Amell?”

“Don’t say her name!” His gaze met hers and anger moved to the forefront. He caught his rage and inhaled a shuddering breath. Iris watched him patiently as he tried to find the question and the words tumbled out. “Did we have to be—” Pain and sadness this time, but the question didn’t complete. He tried again. “Did Solona really _need_ to _—_ " His volume rose with grief and anguish. His voice broke at the name. He tried to ask the questions but couldn’t get a coherent thought through the storm of emotions that undoubtedly stirred in his mind.

His fists clenched. Iris braced herself. He moved and took both shoulders in his hands with a grip hard enough to bruise. Eyes met his filled with nothing but pain.

 _“Why?”_ he managed to choke out as he shook her. _“Why didn’t you stop them?”_

Iris couldn’t suppress wincing at the third shake, but she powered through it to prioritize giving Zevran a look and a single subtle headshake to stop him as he reached for his dagger. He looked at her doubtfully but complied.

She quickly turned her attention back to Cullen and saw that the man bowed his head in pain as he muttered a string of words too low in volume for her to understand. Chest ached at the sight as she brought a hand to rest on his shoulder. Slowly and gently, she let a thumb poke against the exposed skin by his neck and activated her power as eyes turned silver.

A power surged forth. Moving images of moment after moment ran through her mind. Cullen and Amell first meeting and speaking. Solona’s smile at the templar. Cullen’s pain – a chorus of screams with his templar friends around him – searing, aching intense pain _make it stop make it stop make it stop –_ as the mages cackled in delight around him. Solona teasing him. Cullen stuttering as she pushed a door open with a bright smile and led him inside. Solona’s lifeless eyes. It was wrong. So wrong. One moment she was there then the next she was _gone_ – _No, not her, please not her—_ Pain more pain as Solona—no, that wasn’t her, she wouldn’t have that cruel smile—don’t twist _her smile make it stop make it stop STOP—_

Iris pulled away with a small gasp, fighting the tears that threatened to form.

It…

That was…

She opened her mouth. No words came out.

He took in shuddered breaths, grip still tight.

She took in a breath and reminded herself to push forward. This was _her_ responsibility.

“Cullen…” she said gently. Though she tried to keep it steady, it was her turn to have the voice break with emotion. “Please. Look at me.”

He did. The storm stayed behind his eyes, but he looked like a glass vessel ready to break from what he held inside. The heartache returned.

There was no explanation she could offer that wouldn’t seem insensitive. There were no words she could say that wouldn’t make him angrier in this moment and lead to resentment for the rest of his life. That couldn’t happen. That _shouldn’t_ happen.

So, she offered the only thing she could.

“I’m…afraid I have no answers for you. I…” The voice was small but sincere. A soft and gentle tone carried through the wind. The storm didn’t calm, but she could see the rain coming as tears started to form at the corner of his eyes.

“Words cannot express how sorry I am for your loss. And your pain.” The voice was surprisingly steady, but no less sympathetic. The hand fell from his shoulder as she bowed the head. “I’m sorry that this happened, Cullen.” Voice full of what sadness she could muster. “I am so sorry…”

His grip loosened and his legs collapsed beneath him. Metal connected to the stone as he sank down to cry with a pained wail. He asked why. He asked and cried again and again. But she had nothing more for him.

She was not the person to give him comfort or ease the pain.

“I’m sorry. I…I’ll give you a moment alone,” Iris said softly to Cullen’s back after a few moments. Eyes met Zevran and he gave a single nod in response.

They quietly made their way to the door and left the templar to his grief.

Once the door closed, Iris sought out the nearest wall to stay upright, letting out a broken sigh as she tried to regulate breathing. She could still feel the pain from his grip on the shoulders but didn’t want to bother healing it. Not now. Not yet.

A part of her felt like she deserved that pain she received from him when she couldn’t take away his.

She expected sorrow. She expected the hurt. She didn’t expect the extent and the impact on her.

She knew the events had to happen to get the Circle of Magi on their side but there was no way she could justify the cost to the broken man at the other side of the door. He lost some friends, lost his love, and experienced a trauma that he’d carry with him through his life…and yet he turned to _her_ for answers because he _knew_ she saw it coming. How could she simply _explain_ that away? She couldn’t make him understand. The bigger picture, the alternatives, and all the knowledge she knew wouldn’t be of any use here. There was no way to rationalize why it had to happen to a man broken by those moments, regardless if it would make him a ‘better’ person later. He was man who went through a horrifying ordeal…and while she had the answers to ‘why’, she couldn’t share any of them.

She took in a breath as she noted Zevran taking the spot beside her, reminding her of his presence. It was comforting, in a way. Though he stayed silent, it made her feel better than being alone or having more questions thrown her way.

And it reminded her that they had more to do. Although this situation affected her more than it should, she couldn’t change course when it was all for something bigger than any of them could comprehend…and she was the only one who saw and understood.

She drew in another breath and built up her resolve enough to straighten.

“My apologies,” she said. Emotions lingered in the voice. She cleared the throat and tried again. “I needed a moment to regain my composure.” She squared her shoulders and rubbed any wetness that may have lingered around the eyes. “They may be done with the ritual now, so let’s return.”

Zevran regarded her with an easy smile. “Of course.” He motioned for her to lead. “After you.”

Iris gave him a small smile in the eyes as she passed him, appreciating his demeanor and not treating her differently or with pity after that incident.

Their return to the room was greeted by the sight of Isolde with Conner in her arms in a firm hug, crying that the ordeal was over. Conner looked at her, confused and questioning why she was emotional. It appeared that him not remembering was canon as well, and Iris thought it was for the best. He didn’t need the weight of what happened in Redcliffe on his young shoulders.

Bann Teagan looked upon mother and son with a tearful smile before turning to the Warden and started speaking the game dialogue for the post-event. The items for the ritual, mages and templars were nowhere in sight and she assumed that they had to have left for their lodgings for the night before they’d set off for the Circle again in the morning. Replacing them were a few knights of Redcliffe with two flanking Jowan as they escorted him out of the room through the doorway that Zevran and Iris came from.

Alder glanced her way from where he still leaned against the wall. He raised his eyebrow in question, but she shook her head to tell him that it wasn’t the time to explain. She approached the group in time to catch the part of the conversation she was waiting for.

“But our task is not done yet,” Teagan said. “Whatever the demon did to my brother seems to have spared his life, but he remains comatose. We cannot wake him.”

“The Urn!” Isolde said as she stood from hugging Conner but kept the boy within arm’s reach. “The Urn of Sacred Ashes will save Eamon.”

“The legend?” Elissa questioned. “It isn’t only a story?”

Iris took this as her cue to speak and power through what remained of her shaken state. There was no time to falter from that…hiccup.

“It isn’t,” she said as she crossed the arms and alerted them of her presence. “The Urn is _very_ real, Elissa.”

Isolde smiled at the confirmation while Teagan looked at her confused. She bit back a chuckle. It seemed that no one informed the Bann of her abilities yet, so this would be an interesting experience.

“You know of it,” Elissa stated the observation with a smile. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.”

Iris did chuckle at that, albeit weaker than she would like but they didn’t seem to notice. “Best not be. You’ll get accustomed to it eventually.”

“Somehow, I _really_ doubt that,” Alistair said wryly. “What’s next? Predicting the sky tearing itself apart?”

Iris genuinely smiled at that. “Actually—”

“What is the meaning of this?” Bann Teagan interrupted with confusion clear in his voice. “What do you know of the Urn, Hawkeye?”

“Quite a bit, my lord,” Iris said with a knowing look in the eyes. “I know that Arl Eamon had Brother Genitivi research the location of the Urn. I know you’ve sent knights to Denerim but cannot find him.” Isolde’s smile fell and Teagan tensed. “I know where he has gone. I know that he has _found_ the temple…and I know that the Urn is _very_ real.”

“That information is—” Teagan stopped and composed himself. “Explain yourself. How have you come to know this?” Caution seeped through the firmness in his voice. She noted from the corner of an eye that the knights in the room also tensed.

Elissa glanced to Iris in a silent request for permission and Iris responded in a single nod for consent. The Warden then took the chance to explain. “It appears that Conner isn’t the only apostate in Redcliffe.” She gestured to Iris. “Hawkeye is a Seer.”

“A Seer at the service of the Grey Wardens to end the Blight, of course,” Iris followed up smoothly. She had to make it clear that she was assisting the Wardens so she wouldn’t be trapped by the Circle or nobles. “And to aid in this endeavor, we _will_ need Arl Eamon. To heal him, we need the Urn, and I _know_ the location of the Temple of Sacred Ashes.” She waved a hand in emphasis of her points. “Fortunately, it isn’t too far from Redcliffe. But unfortunately, it is guarded by a rather... _zealous_ cult, if you will.”

“Where is it?” Isolde pleaded. “If you truly know, you must tell us! Eamon’s life is—”

Iris looked to the Arlessa reassuringly, cutting off her impassioned appeal. “The Arl will be fine, my lady. That, I can assure. If you allow me to see him, I can see into his future if it will ease your worries.” Isolde gave her a thankful smile. “And I will reveal the location of the Temple if we can guarantee the cooperation of the knights in securing the village closest to it. It has sadly been…” She paused to consider the word. “…shall we say, _corrupted_ by blasphemous values.”

“And why must we believe you?” Teagan asked with wariness. “Surely you’ve shown your hand but how can we trust your intentions?”

Eyes softened and she placed a hand over the chest. “I only wish for the best outcome, my lord. If it can be done efficiently with less time wasted on menial tasks and lead to less bloodshed, then I will do what is necessary. And I assure you…” Eyes turned serious. “…this is the _best_ way to save your brother.”

Teagan paused to consider her points. It didn’t take much time for him to speak again.

“Then consider it done,” Teagan confirmed with a nod. “So long as we retrieve the Urn and heal Eamon, we will do what it takes.”

“Excellent,” Iris said approvingly. “If you are open to a few… _suggestions_ , my lord, I have some ideas to make the work easier.” She smiled through the eyes. “It may not make much sense at the moment, but please bear with me.”

* * *

The evening crept in and the strategy talks finished. Iris smiled to herself under the cowl again as the day seemed to end where it started: with plans coming together nicely. The discussion with the Bann seemed quite fruitful. She suggested they take Haven with Chantry approval, assuring that no political toes would be stepped on when they were doing it in the name of ‘religion’, and the assistance of the knights once they were all recalled from where they were sent across Ferelden. This would take time, but Iris was counting on the longer process so that the Warden’s group could get some ‘training’ in for fighting the dragon and she could retrieve what she needed to help herself. Teagan had been surprised by the ideas she put forth but appreciated the consideration for the politics involved. He and Ser Perth had their own suggestions and insight for how they would perform the operation, and she left it to them to discuss with the Warden and Alistair while she checked on Eamon with Isolde.

In the end, they all walked away with rapport built among key members of the nobility that night.

Though there was the unfortunate hiccup with Cullen confronting her, she could at least count a small victory when she passed the man on the way out later that evening, looking tired but less like a zombie. It seemed that the opportunity to let out his pent-up emotions gave him some release. It wouldn’t fix him, but it would make the road to recovery from his trauma the slightest bit easier.

All in all, she would say it went well enough that she couldn’t ask for more, really.

Now, a tired Iris followed Alder as he led the way home under torchlight where they could finally get some rest. Zevran walked alongside her, accompanying them home before returning to his accommodations in his castle. Though he was an assassin, it seemed he took this bodyguard job rather seriously and would only leave her side if he trusted that she would be safe under the capable hands of those like Alder and Dahlia. Alder was initially put-off by the Crow joining them, but Iris pointed out that he needed to get used to the idea as Zevran was the protection that _Alder himself_ requested for her. It was only then when the mercenary backed down, much to Iris and Zevran’s amusement.

As Alder walked ahead of them and grumbled about Crows on the way home, it gave Iris a chance to speak to Zevran…

…and it seemed the Antivan Crow had the same idea.

“I see why you are in need of protection, my dear Seer,” Zevran commented casually. “With your skill, many would see you dead or kidnapped and forced into their service.”

Iris smiled beneath the cowl. “Do you regret your choice in client then, Zevran?”

Zevran laughed as if she joked. “No, of course not.” He shrugged. “The way I see it, you either see our attackers before they strike, or you play the bigger target between us. Both ways ensure my life so long as I assure yours.”

It was Iris’ turn to laugh. “That’s certainly a practical way to look at it.” She looked to him. “I put my life then in your very capable hands.”

“You can leave more than your life to me, my dear,” he said smoothly with a seductive grin. “I know how to take care of women as lovely as yourself.”

Face heated with one feeling, but Iris flinched from another that hit harder, involuntarily clutching at the cowl before she could stop herself. Like earlier in the day, Zevran raised an eyebrow in question.

“This is the second time you’ve reacted this way. I wondered if you found my compliments so repulsive…” he said as if the idea was impossible, but his eyes stayed questioning. “…but I suspect there is more beneath the surface.”

Iris sighed and stopped as Alder reached the door to the house. She needed to clear this up before it got...complicated.

Alder turned to her as he opened the door to usher her inside, but she shook the head.

“Alder, you go on ahead,” Iris said as she also mentally prepared herself for the possible outcomes of the upcoming conversation. “I need to speak to Zevran.”

Alder said nothing but slid a glare to the assassin, discomfort and displeasure at the idea showing like the overprotective brother that he was.

Iris pleaded. “Please.”

Alder’s attention snapped back to her and the tone used. It took a moment before he acquiesced. “Fine. Don’t be too long.”

And with that, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

She sighed and waited moment before starting her explanation. “My apologies. It isn’t you. It’s…” She paused to consider her choice of words and decided to rephrase to something more business-like. “For this partnership of ours to work, I have a non-negotiable restriction. One off-contract due to its…personal nature.”

“I assume it involves your appearance and rather interesting choice of attire?” Zevran asked, gesturing to her cowl.

“Yes.” She crossed arms for comfort and defensiveness but kept her gaze serious and steady. “I need you not to speak of it. No comments or compliments.” Zevran frowned. Eyes softened as a hand clutched an arm in disquiet at feeling vulnerable. “Please. I can’t explain but…I trust you as a gentleman to honor my request.”

The words that appealed to his vanity earned her a smile from the assassin. A smile less teasing and gentler in understanding. He gave a joking reluctant sigh. “When you ask in such a fashion, my dear,” he said in a tone to lighten the mood. “How can I refuse?”

Iris smiled under the cowl and the unease lifted, allowing herself to release a small laugh at his words.

She was glad that Zevran seemed to be the man she hoped he was. Of the companions, he was the one with the most flexible tie to the group and it worked in her favor to connect him to her instead of the Warden. She also knew that he would be the one most respectful of her decisions, regardless of what they would bring, which made him the ideal companion for her road of questionable actions to outside observers. Yes, he would have his opinions, but his grayer morality meant he could be reasoned with.

If she could genuinely get him on her side, she would have a reasonable and deadly ally – a rarity in Thedas. In turn, she could provide him protection from the Crows and offer information to ascertain his life and future for the path that would be best for him. It was a win-win situation, _if_ she could manage a good partnership with him.

For that, it would be best to get on the assassin’s good side. Seduction was off the table with her…situation, and she didn’t want to make the foundation of the relationship something replaceable. Thus, she would need to try for amicability and trust. Revealing this vulnerability was a step in that direction and made her _uncomfortable_ to have to show it, but…she hoped it would be worth it.

“Thank you. Your understanding means a lot to me,” she said with rare sincerity and returning the smile through the eyes. A hand found the end of the cowl again and fingers fiddled with the fabric. “As late as this is, I do mean it when I say that I look forward to working with you.” Playfulness danced in the eyes as she pushed for more confidence in the tone. “And not to worry, I’ll be sure to warn you of any dangers that may come our way or opportunities that may be worth your while.”

His lips curved into a pleased smile. “And I hereby pledge my oath of loyalty to you until such a time as you choose to release me from it.” He bowed gracefully, an arm over heart and torso. “I am your man, without reservation...” As he straightened, his smile turned charming. “This I swear.”

That smile—

She felt herself growing flustered but fought any movement that allowed it to show. She quickly cleared the throat and turned to the door, crossing the arms as she did so. “It’s growing late, and you should get some rest.” She threw a glance back to him. “Thank you again for today, Zevran. Good night.”

Amusement danced in his eyes and she quickly turned away.

“Good night to you, my dear Seer,” he said with a teasing undertone. “I look forward to our time together.”

Iris tried to keep her movements natural as she could when she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. The downstairs bathed in darkness with no Alder in sight. She detached a small amount of her power to let it peek outside the window, checking if Zevran had left. When she saw no sign of the elf, she let her Eye circle through the house to check on Dahlia and Alder.

Upon confirming that she was truly alone and her family were asleep, she took in a breath and sank down to the floor. No one should see her as she resisted squealing like a schoolgirl into a hand. No one should see how she tried to calm the beating of the heart and the flush on the face.

She took in a breath and slowly released it, but the heart would not slow as the image of his smile came to mind again.

Zevran Arainai. Dalish elf. Antivan Crow. Assassin. And now, her _bodyguard_.

Her very _attractive_ bodyguard.

She cursed under the cowl at her weakness. She _knew_ to expect it as he was a poison and _seduction_ specialist, but in her arrogance, she _greatly_ underestimated the force of his charisma. _How_ could she have _misjudged_ him? Why did she overestimate herself? _Especially_ when her plan relied on her staying _away_ from the seduction route? She cursed herself again for the miscalculation. Why did he have to be so fucking _smooth_? Why did he have to be more attractive _in person_?

She closed the eyes as she recalled his amber ones. The heat immediately returned, and she groaned into the hands.

He was her bodyguard and she was _affected_ by him.

If she didn’t find a way around it, she would be in _so much trouble_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who enjoyed this story for Iris' Character Journey, I assure that this will NOT suddenly turn into a romance novel. It is still VERY much Iris' Character Journey in Mystery/Fantasy/Action and Adventure-ish. The romance is a SUBplot and will STAY a subplot that _enriches_ the main story of her time in Thedas through the games.
> 
> I'm a little worried that the romance will come off heavy-handed when I'm trying to make it gradual, but I'll do my best to execute it well. Clarifying, in case that it came off too strong, that the ending moment of this chapter only hit Iris harder because it was a surprise attack for her. She didn't expect to feel anything and wasn't prepared, so she couldn't fight off against brain going, "OH NO HE HOT". But rest assured that she won't suddenly break character and will respond to this in a way befitting the overthinking adorkable Seer that she is. XD
> 
> For the more serious bits to this chapter, I wanted to highlight Dahlia and her cunning for the first part as she doesn't get enough screen time. With what time we have left with them, you can be sure that she and Alder will take the spotlight in the coming chapters.
> 
> Cullen was my answer to the idea of resentment towards any Seer character type, which I think isn't seen very often in these kinds of stories. But if we think about it, _someone_ would _definitely_ blame the Seer if they could've prevented bad events from happening in the first place, and based on Cullen's canon reaction, he felt like the perfect person to showcase this effect. This'll likely be the last we see of him until Book 2 but I'm so excited to explore the canon divergence for DA2 as a result of this change.


	14. Chapter 14

_Laughter._

The morning that followed was a morning of preparation for the inevitable journey. The Warden’s group restocked their supplies and got in a last-minute meeting with Bann Teagan for securing Haven. Alder and Dahlia bustled between home and town all day and somehow still took care of assuring she had _her_ supplies. Iris, in the meantime, prepared in both the physical and mental sense as she packed what few belongings she had while trying to get herself in the right mindset to move on from the only space she has called home since arriving in Thedas. If she was honest, she was aware that it was temporary. After all, if she wasn’t going with the Warden, Dahlia and Alder would’ve left Redcliffe eventually due to Whisper as they never stayed in the same place for too long. However, knowing and being in the moment were two completely different things when what the future held was both known yet _very_ foreign to her.

Iris placed the last of her clothing in the travel pack Alder and Dahlia gave her as a present for joining Whisper, careful to arrange it around the other essential items inside. Rations, a bedroll, flint and steel, a mess kit, tent and so on – everything she needed was there.

Iris frowned under the mask as she took stock of everything inside the pack again. It felt strange to know that all she had for her current life could be condensed in one bag. But she couldn’t really have the mentality from her old world to plant roots and hoard possessions. She wasn’t even sure if she’d be able to settle in one place anymore given her abilities as it would make her an easier target and given what she knew would happen in the future. There didn’t seem to be room for attachment to a place in Thedas unless you were a noble. For the middle to lower class, she now understood why they were so sentimental with what few possessions they had, whether a mother’s belongings, a father’s hand-me-downs, a friend’s keepsake or—

A knock came from the door and Iris turned to see Dahlia standing in the doorway.

The old woman chuckled. “You were lost in your thoughts again,” she observed with a smile. “Don’t dawdle now or we’ll lose the light for travel.”

Iris smiled back. It took a moment to process the word choice and sight of Alder walking to the stairs from in the background with a few packs slung over his shoulder, but when she realized, brow furrowed in confusion.

“We?” she asked in bewildered surprise.

“We.” Dahlia smiled. “You didn’t think we’d have you leave you unprepared to fend for yourself, did you? You know by now that I take care of my own, dear.”

Iris flushed. So, they noticed. She was wondering how she’d deal with that problem without the comforts of modern camping equipment and survival training, but as usual, Dahlia had other plans. “I greatly appreciate that, thank you. But I assume you won’t be proceeding with us through the entire journey, correct? I’m sure Alder wouldn’t have it and we all know _you_ should stay somewhere safe.”

Dahlia smiled at Iris’ concern. “That’s right. Elissa and I agreed to travel together on the wagon until we can’t take you any further,” the old woman explained as Iris picked up her pack. “Then we’ll go to Denerim for business before leaving Ferelden for Orlais.”

“Orlais,” Iris repeated. “Will I follow you there after the Blight is over?”

Dahlia gave her a knowing look. “That’s for you to decide.” The old woman took a hand and patted it. “You’re unlike my other children, Iris dear. Your skills are rare that we can’t bind them to one place. I trust you’ll go where is best, but don’t forget to write often.”

The subtle order to report back to her as the head of Whisper on top of the concern as her ‘mother’ wasn’t lost on Iris as she laughed lightly and squeezed Dahlia’s hand in turn. “I won’t.”

“Good. Now, bring your pack to the wagon. We should be leaving soon.”

Iris nodded once then closed the pack and slung it over a shoulder. Then she proceeded out of the room with Dahlia following behind and walked down the ladder to the first floor. Iris’ gaze swept through the space in a long look to commit it to memory. As much as she shouldn’t really feel sentimental about a home that wasn’t hers to begin with, it _was_ the first place she ever stayed in within Thedas. She only hoped then that the future places she’d settle into would be as warm as this had been.

As they approached the door out of the home, she could hear more than see Alder and the DAO party outside, speaking as they prepared to leave for the Imperial Highway.

“Right,” Alder said as she heard the groaning of wood. “That should be the last of our things. How are you lot?”

“Everything should be in order?” Elissa asked, presumably looking to the rest.

“It seems so,” Leliana confirmed. She could hear the smile in her melodious accented voice. “It is nice to have this chance to travel in comfort.”

“Are you certain you’d rather walk, Sten?” Wynne asked in concern. “We could procure a horse from the nobles. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.”

“No,” Sten replied. She assumed the matter was left there.

It was then that the mother-daughter pair stepped out and was greeted by the sight of their companions for the journey. Some were already seated in the wagon with the luggage while others crowded around it. Alder moved to the front and calmed the two horses as they approached.

“Remind me again why we’re going to the Brecilian Forest?” Alistair asked, brow furrowing as he stepped onto the cart to sit beside Wynne and across from Leliana.

“Two reasons,” Iris explained as she slung her pack into the wagon, securing it with the other items. “Your treaty and training.”

Morrigan frowned with crossed arms. “Do you believe us so ill-prepared as to require _training?_ ‘Tis a bold claim from one who cannot fight.”

Iris smiled through the eyes at her, undeterred. “Not ill-prepared so much as not _yet_ ready for what you will face in Haven.” Smile turned knowing. “Trust me, you’ll thank me for this later.”

Morrigan’s frown deepened as if the thought were unthinkable. Iris only bit back a laugh at her pride.

As Dahlia climbed into the front of the wagon with Alder and she looked up from the cargo pile, Elissa approached Iris with Sten trailing behind.

“May I have a word with you, Hawkeye?” Elissa asked with a smile.

Iris glanced between the Qunari and Warden and nodded once before following them to a distance away from the wagon. Posture was relaxed as eyes stayed knowing, already suspecting what the Warden would say. Iris _had_ wondered who among the group she focused on befriending first. She almost expected for it would be Alistair or Leliana, but it made sense to approach the Qunari who was the most foreign of them to make him comfortable or to understand his culture.

“How may I help you today, lady Warden?” Iris asked with crossed arms and a pleasant tone.

Elissa glanced back at Sten who had his eyes trained on Iris in impassive regard. Iris returned the unwavering stare before his gaze slid to Elissa and gave a single nod. Elissa then turned back to Iris.

“During our first meeting,” Elissa said. “You mentioned Sten’s Asala.”

“Ah, I see he told you then. Good. I was wondering if it had happened,” Iris said appreciatively, causing Sten to narrow his eyes at her in warning. Iris held up both hands in a gesture of surrender, meaning to show she would be of no harm. His brow furrowed in confusion and Iris bit back a laugh. Right, some things didn’t translate well to Thedas.

“Then allow me to save you time then before we depart,” Iris said.

She casually walked to the house but looked back at them in a bid to follow. They did, and she led them to the back of the house where the firewood was placed with a cloth draped over the logs. She removed it with a flourish and revealed the massive sword sitting atop multiple piles of wood.

Sten’s reaction was immediate. The first emotion showed on his face since meeting him was absolute relief before it changed back to a softer version of his usual serious stare. Iris and Elissa smiled as he stepped up to retrieve it.

“I assume you didn’t have this when we met. You don’t appear that cruel,” Elissa said as Iris stepped aside to make room for Sten. “So how did it come into your possession?”

“Do you remember Dwyn from the battle against the undead?” Iris said as the Qunari threw the greatsword on his back to the side without regard for anything else and picked up his Asala reverently. “He acquired it from the original thief. With his arrest, I retrieved it from the knights.” She shrugged. “It was a simple matter once we explained that it was stolen, and we assured we would return it to its rightful owner.”

Elissa brightened. “Thank you, Hawkeye.”

Sten turned to the two of them, impassive expression returned to his face as he hulked the sword onto his back. He looked between them for a long while.

“Strange,” Sten said in contemplation. “I had almost forgotten it. Completion.”

He regarded Iris with approval. “I thought you a _saarebas_ , but I see you must be an _ashkaari_ to find a single lost blade in a country of war.”

“I merely honored our deal,” Iris said as she waved off any credit. “If there must be any praise, it would rightly go to Elissa.”

If Iris was honest, she _was_ worried for how this would play out as she knew that she would risk modifying the friendship with the Qunari and she didn’t want to get in the way of the Warden’s efforts to become a basalit-an for Ferelden. But it seemed that it translated instead into the solidified friendship _and_ him having a positive view of her early on, which worked in her favor.

In return for his rare show of positivity, Iris let one moment of sentiment slip as she allowed the eyes to soften and switched to Qunlat. _“But I am no less happy to aid you, Sten of the Beresaad.”_

Sten’s gaze trained on her for a moment before he gave a single nod and turned to Elissa. “I would thank you for this, if I knew how.”

The Warden only smiled. “You’re very welcome, Sten. I’m glad that you have your sword back.”

“As am I.”

“I know that I risk much by asking,” Elissa said. “But will you be returning to the Qunari now that you have your Asala again?”

“No. I must complete my mission,” he answered without hesitation. Then his tone turned lighter. “And I could deliver a more satisfying answer to the _Arishok’s_ question if the Blight were ended, don’t you agree?”

Elissa brightened again and she spoke with determination. “Absolutely, my friend.”

For once, Sten smiled. Iris blinked in surprise as he spoke again. “Then lead the way.”

* * *

Though Iris should’ve expected it, wagon rides were bumpier than she thought they would be. The Imperial Highway was one of the most traversed roads in Ferelden, made flatter by the thousands of travelers that passed, but the trip was still with wooden wheels on a dirt road and came with the bounce. Iris was only happy to be by the front of the carriage closest to the medieval equivalent of a ‘driver’s seat’ so she would be jostled to the wooden wall than into another person. Eyes were trained to the front of the carriage at her ‘family’ as Alder held the reins to their horses and Dahlia sat at his side.

They had left Redcliffe a few hours ago and if she had to guess, it should be sometime in the late afternoon with the sun setting in an hour or three. Iris sighed, thinking about how they would have _four more days_ of this until the long trek through forest. She knew it would happen and it may have been ironic for a traceur, but she still dreaded the amount of _walking_ coming her way soon.

For all her mental grumbling though, it wasn’t _bad_ for a first excursion even if it reminded her of how she missed something as mundane in the modern world as vehicle suspension systems. The trip thus far was slow and uneventful – a nice peaceful change of pace from the events of the previous day. Between Cullen’s breakdown and leaving ‘home’ for an adventure like the start to every Hero’s Journey story, she appreciated _any_ break for her mind to catch up to what they were about to do.

As eyes looked on at the passing scenery, Iris considered their destination – the Brecilian Forest. She was aware it wasn’t going to be easy. Although she feared Orzammar the most with the darkness and Brood Mother, the Nature of the Beast questline still worried her with how it would translate to reality. After all, darkspawn and werewolves were _terrifying_ especially when they would hunt you through a forest they were _very_ familiar with. It didn’t help that the terrain would be denser with foliage thus harder to traverse. Maybe the magical nature of the ‘thinner Veil’ and history tied to the elves would work in their favor. She wasn’t sure if it would benefit the mages or make them more prone to possession, but she supposed they would find out and address it then.

In the least, she could take comfort in her ability to see and scout. It wouldn’t be a hard counter to the werewolves, beasts and magical creatures within the forest, but it was an advantage that the party could make use of. But she also had to consider…should she make use of her other abilities as well?

Iris blinked to bring herself back to the moment. Her gaze shifted to scan the wagon.

Their luggage and cargo were placed across her for safety and Wynne sat beside it followed by Alistair and Elissa – all three spoke pleasantly with each other for some time. Iris noted in passing that Alistair seemed to sit closer to Elissa, and the noblewoman didn’t seem to mind. Did this indicate the start of a royal romance?

Beside Iris was Zevran, staying within close range to guard her, followed by Leliana then Morrigan. The assassin tried to converse with the two attractive women and only Leliana paid him any mind.

Sten marched silently alongside the wagon, positioned closest to Elissa, with Dog walking along happily beside him.

Iris considered her companions. When she looked at them, she saw a capable group. They were still missing Shale and Oghren, but even without them, they were all experienced fighters who worked well enough together on the battlefield. They likely weren’t familiar with how Zevran and Wynne would fit into the combat dynamic yet, but the upcoming missions would allow that adjustment.

Now, she had to consider: With their party composition and her lack of fighting knowledge, does her current utility skillset fit within the group dynamic to make her useful in battle? Alder and Dahlia seemed to think so, but for all her bravado, Iris wasn’t as certain as she would like to be. There wasn’t anyone like her build in the Dragon Age games as the magical rogue was more prevalent in games like Elder Scrolls: Skyrim or Dungeons and Dragons – but even with that basis, she wasn’t sure if it translated well to real life. Yes, scouts existed, but she didn’t want to presume anything about the job when they never revealed its duties though they were widely used in Inquisition. After all, it would be dangerous to assume it was as simple as ‘sitting on a roof with a crossbow while waiting for the party to finish their business and watching for someone to shoot’ when it was _so_ much more.

If she thought objectively and gave herself more credit, she played that role of warning messenger and information gatherer well enough in the battle of Redcliffe. It was a trial through experience, but it was _something_. However, she knew it was a different matter to be as a _dedicated_ scout for a party that _expected_ that standard of her and _much_ more. Could she live up to those expectations?

She…wasn’t sure. Iris frowned in discomfort under the cowl, feeling the weight on her. She had made bad calls in the past – in games and in her lifetime – so her confidence wasn’t as solid as it could be. With the fate of Ferelden at stake, she couldn’t afford to make mistakes in providing information if they relied on her.

But she would try. Against all the pressure, she still _had_ to try. Otherwise, she was guaranteed to fail if she didn’t even make the attempt. Iris quietly took in a breath and exhaled slowly as if releasing the discomfort from the body. She reminded herself that, like what her visions showed, possibilities existed. There was the chance of failure, yes, but there was also the potential for success. What she did from that moment could tip the scale in either direction – so the logical solution was to simply assure it worked in their favor. As she was now, she didn’t have the capability to see _all_ potential futures, but she was still the only one who could show them the way to the end of the Blight with optimal results. That fact reinforced her resolve.

So, how could she compensate for her lack of experience? The answer she saw was preparation.

To properly prepare, she needed more information on the scout role and how she would work with the party.

Iris fiddled with the edge of the cowl as she pondered. To understand the scout role better, the best course of action would be to ask Alder, Leliana or Zevran. If she prioritized the latter two, she could build rapport with them and learn additional skills for the role that Alder couldn’t cover in his training while they were on the road. To understand her role within the group, she could speak to Alder, Dahlia and Elissa. Iris could also discuss with the Warden on how she would work with Elissa as the group leader. Then on top of all that, she could focus on gathering data and observing her companions individually and as a group to understand how she would interact with them. Because for all her hours of gameplay, she didn’t think the predetermined dialogue could help with all the off-screen interaction coming. There would be more depth and complications with them as real people, and she had to build those relationships while staying detached enough for the Warden to still play the central role.

Iris nodded, pleased with the foundations of the plan formulating in her mind. It wasn’t a full answer to her problem yet, but it was a start. She could live with that for now and figure out the rest later.

The peace on the wagon continued for a few more hours as the trip drew on. Luckily for the group, the closer proximity to Redcliffe meant that there were still many Ferelden soldiers who were left as reserve from the Battle of Ostagar that kept the roads safe from darkspawn and assured that they wouldn’t need to engage in unnecessary fighting. Driving the vehicle switched between Dahlia and Alder, and conversations and banter happened between the party including Morrigan and Alistair bickering, Leliana singing a song or two, and even Dahlia contributing a few stories about her children. Through this brightness, Iris joined when she could in polite respect but spent most of the time observing them.

Or so it appeared. However, contrary to what appeared to be idle time for her, Iris still spent it further herself with training other abilities while she could.

Though that part of the journey, Dahlia and Alder were gracious enough help her practice telepathic messaging through conversation, to prepare for when it could be used for battle. This exercise also helped to test the true limits of the ability, so she would be aware to stay within them. From their efforts, the data gathered was quite insightful.

She already knew it had a limited range from prior tests with the Seeker. But through the more extensive conversations, it appeared that she could do three things with the link: send messages between herself and one other person, relay a message from one person in the mental network to another person where she still knew what was said, and finally, send a message all at once to everyone she marked. She would need to test these features again to verify their capabilities when she could mark more people, but at least it narrowed down the tests to perform.

Now, all that was left was to inform Elissa, and as she had informed Dahlia of her plan, she only needed to find the perfect opportunity to reveal her new power.

‘I think I’ve gotten all I can for now,’ she mentally said to them both. ‘Thank you again for helping me.’

‘Oh, hush. You know we would do what we can to help you, dear,’ Dahlia replied. Iris relayed this to Alder, continuing the message relay in order to build the habit for the three-way conversations.

Alder didn’t respond, but he glanced back at Iris with discomfort, and brow furrowed in confusion.

‘What’s wrong?’ she queried.

‘Are you certain you need to go with them?’ he asked seriously as he turned to face forward again.

Iris blinked in surprise at the unexpected question. ‘Alder…’

‘I mean it,’ he pushed. ‘Why not provide your predictions then go on with us to Denerim?’

‘They need her skill, son,’ Dahlia patiently explained. ‘You know as well as I that her predictions aren’t absolute. They’ll need her to navigate the uncertainty.’

‘But she’s—’

‘A capable young woman who will go where she is most needed,’ Dahlia said, cutting him off. Her mental voice softened. ‘For the moment, that isn’t with us.’

Iris knew he was frowning even if she couldn’t see it. She _clearly_ heard his sigh though.

‘Don’t worry, we’ll see each other again,’ she reassured. ‘And I’ll keep safe. After all, I’ll have Zevran guarding me.’

Alder grumbled, ‘That’s why I worry.’

Dahlia’s laughter rang through their minds. ‘Oh, I wouldn’t worry. Though he’s seen quite a few things in his time, he’s a nice man. I’m sure he’d take good care of our Iris.’

Alder glanced at Dahlia, trying not to glare. ‘How could you approve of this?’

‘Quite easily,’ she responded without missing a beat. ‘As hired hands go, there are few more skilled than a Crow, you know. Lest you go with her, we can’t ask for a better guard.’

Alder couldn’t argue and Iris knew it. He knew his role, and as much as they all knew Iris was unique, Dahlia was more important.

So instead, he did the only thing he could do and sulked. ‘I still don’t like it.’

Dahlia only laughed in turn and Iris smiled as she relayed the sound.

They continued like this until they could no longer travel with the darkness that crept in, opting then to set-up camp for the night. Iris used her Eyes to scan the nearby areas for a suitable campsite, describing a few locations and surveying their immediate surroundings to assure it was safe. One was chosen with enough flat ground, proximity to a water source and less nearby wildlife to disturb. When the wagon arrived at the selected spot, the group went to work.

Through this experience, Alder and Dahlia appeared to make it their unspoken mission to subtly teach her the basics of survival. While everyone discussed tasks and divided responsibilities, Dahlia immediately took over as the designated cook of the group and roped in Iris to assist. The old woman first allowed Iris to discreetly pull the information from her on camp cooking basics, campfire recipes and gathering edible supplies in the wild, then they went to work in prepping their workstation and ingredients. When the others returned with wood and foliage for kindling and tinder, Dahlia telepathically taught her how set up a fire pit and start a fire with flint and steel, patient in her instruction when Iris couldn’t get it right the first few tries.

When the fire finally roared to life on her seventh attempt, Iris had to suppress any outward expression of joy to not draw attention to herself and defeat the purpose of subtlety. But as she turned to Dahlia, the old woman smiled warmly, showing the pride for her daughter’s small accomplishment and made it so much better. They proceeded to cook a simple stew once the fire really started to go, using what fresh supplies they had while they still could.

When the ingredients were in the pot and what remained was giving the stew the necessary time to cook, Dahlia shooed Iris away from the area for Alder’s turn with her. Like Dahlia, he first let her subtly draw the information from him on other camp basics, ranging from pitching a tent, storing supplies safely so animals don’t get to them, digging a latrine and many others. She had to fight the discomfort when he forced her to recount the latrine part, but once he verified that she picked up the correct information, they got to work with trying out some of what she learned.

It took telepathic instruction and encouragement, the better part of the hour and a few _more_ failed attempts before Iris finally got her tent and bedroll set-up. In that time, Alder did both his and Dahlia’s tents and she was convinced that he did it on purpose to infuriate her. She would thankfully get her revenge when she served dinner to the group and took the chance to give him a smaller portion of stew. He grumbled about it as he shoveled the food into his mouth, but she compensated him later with a bigger second serving.

With the food eaten, tents pitched and the warm fire burning, the group briefly discussed watch schedule then split and readied to wind down for the night in their own way. Iris took this opportunity to observe each of them from a spot by the campfire at the center of the site and tried to see what she could learn about them.

Though they earned this time to relax, Elissa appeared to not slow down from her leader role at all. She spent the time productively and approached each member of her party to either converse with them or check in on their wellbeing. Tonight, she seemed to spend the most time with Alistair. Iris could’ve attributed it to discussing how they’d tackle the forest or maybe ‘Grey Warden things’, but her inner shipper wanted to hope for more. Especially when they looked cute together.

Sten wasted no time in socializing and immediately went to bed after the short conversation with Elissa. Iris guessed he wanted to maximize the sleep time before his own watch but maybe he was avoiding interaction with Leliana, based on the glares thrown her way.

Speaking of the bard, she stayed by the fire and spoke to Dahlia and Wynne. The three took turns in sharing their knowledge of stories and life experience, which made for rather pleasant conversation that Iris tuned in an out of. Alder joined their circle after he checked over the campsite and tents again, but spent the time listened as he sharpened his hunting knife.

Iris lost Morrigan at some point in the evening, but as no one else was alarmed, she concluded that this was likely a common occurrence. She recalled the game and wondered if this was the moment where she transformed into an animal and went off into the woods to be away from everyone else. It seemed the most probable explanation, so she pushed any worry aside. She guessed that they would find her back at camp again by morning but made a mental note to verify it on another night by monitoring the Witch before she left.

Zevran proved to be harder to track with how much he did in a short span of time. At one moment, he was stepping into his tent for whatever reason, and in the next, she would notice him stepping out of the tree line and into their campsite to speak to Elissa. After the third time she lost him, she decided that she’d learn more about her bodyguard later when she could get more time to speak to him—

—and that was when he plopped down beside her at the campfire circle. Iris successfully resisted the urge to jump, but eyes still widened in surprise.

Her gaze shifted to him in an annoyed glare and he only smiled at her in turn. Iris sighed at his non-verbal confirmation that he did that on purpose. She opened the mouth, witty remark at the ready—

“Must you stay so close to her?” Alder’s voice cut through their silence.

They both turned to him, meeting his unamused frown and glare trained at the assassin. Iris frowned under the cowl, but Zevran beat her to answering first.

“I am her protection, my friend,” he said smoothly. “Am I to guard her from the other side of the camp?”

“Yes,” Alder answered in all seriousness. He pointedly gestured at Zevran with his hunting knife. “Surely you’d know how to use creativity, arrows and _lots_ of _distance_.”

Brow furrowed as Iris gave the Seeker a look. “Alder, we talked about this.”

“We talked about him protecting you,” Alder argued. “Accepted that can’t be avoided, but he needn’t be so… _close_.”

“I assure you, Seeker,” Zevran said, gesturing with his open palm. “I will never venture where I am not wanted. However, if our dear Seer wishes me close…” His gaze slid to Iris. “…or perhaps _closer_ , then who am I to deny her?”

Iris averted her gaze and resisted the urge to react with the feeling that coursed through her. Closer, he said. Did that mean he knew she found him attractive? Or was this his baseline assumption that all were attracted to him? She couldn’t tell. But regardless of his awareness, she couldn’t act on it. She _shouldn’t_. She _knew_ she couldn’t. The mind, however, didn’t align with what she felt, and it made matters _much_ more complicated than need be. She wasn’t going to concede to any inconvenient basal urges or emotions – _really,_ she couldn’t _,_ not with her current situation.

So, she reminded herself to stay the course of trust and amicability and wait for the feelings to pass. It was the _only_ solution. Was her line of reactions a sign that it proved more difficult to manage than expected? She hoped not. It was still fresh, so it would likely fade with time. Maybe.

When a silence followed his statement, she looked up and saw that both sought her input with their gazes. She blinked in surprise at being put on the spot but quickly thought about her answer. She couldn’t entertain those thoughts, but…she didn’t want to _lie_ either, especially when she knew they would catch her in a lie. Her only choice was to provide a version of the truth but avoid any admission.

“That—” Voice came out soft. She cleared the throat and tried again, making the tone more casual as if to dismiss the idea. “That would be inappropriate.”

At once, Zevran’s eyes twinkled in amusement while Alder glared _hard_ at her word choice.

She tensed. It wasn’t a lie, but they both noticed she didn’t say an outright “no”.

Caught.

Iris mentally cursed at her miscalculation.

Refusing to make the hole she found herself in any deeper, she casually excused herself from the group, saying that she would go to sleep but didn’t meet their eyes. Alder tried to protest but she moved quickly and ended the conversation.

As she briskly walked away, the last thing she heard was Alder’s words.

“Warning you now, Crow. Keep your hands to yourself.”

She imagined him brandishing the hunting knife at the Crow with the threat. But with Zevran’s personality, he wouldn’t be deterred. She could practically see his mischievous grin bathed in the light of the campfire as she reached her tent.

A hand held the tent flap as she sighed. She only hoped that this slip-up wouldn’t bite her back later.


	15. Chapter 15

_“What trouble shall you find yourself in today, hm?”_

The first day waking in an unfamiliar location marked the beginning of many mornings she knew she would spend in that manner. Iris expected it but the fact that a tent would be her new ‘home’ for the foreseeable future was no less disorienting. But she had little choice in the matter when caravans were far out of budget and modern mobile homes or campers didn’t exist. She took a moment to gain her bearings and meditated to improve her mindset, then got dressed for her turn on the watch rotation with Alder.

As she prepared, she wondered how long it would take to get accustomed to living this way. She supposed it would be easier to acclimatize if she could develop a routine, and she would need a new one that didn’t rely on Alder and Dahlia anyway for when they…

The thought trailed off as Iris finished dressing. She frowned at the light chest pain that came with the reminder of their limited time together. A hand clenched in focus as she shook the head to push aside the thoughts. She couldn’t think that way. It would only be an unnecessary disruption that would throw off her mood and she couldn’t have that. Determined to busy herself with something productive, she took the cowl from the spot beside her bed roll and arranged it around the head and face.

But there was only so much distraction the task could provide as she found her mind wandering back to the inevitable reality. If Iris was honest, she knew that she was uncomfortable with the idea of leaving them, but it wasn’t only due to sentiment. Yes, they were her de facto family in Thedas, but more importantly, they were her safe zone as the only ones who knew Bethany’s face but didn’t associate it with her identity as ‘Iris’. She didn’t need to be on-guard around them, which meant her mind could be fully dedicated to planning.

With the Warden’s group, there was no sense of that safety. She was vaguely familiar with them from the game, but as people, she didn’t know if they’d have the emotional intelligence or empathy to understand her plight. Even if they _did_ …Iris allowed the scenario to play out in her mind. She thought of explaining herself and having them – Elissa, Zevran, _anyone_ – see her, look upon the face and see Bethany—

She stopped the thought as she collided with a wall of emotions. She swallowed down the feeling of nausea that coursed through the body as she finished fixing the cowl in place.

She couldn’t. She couldn’t bring herself to do it.

She _refused_ have her identity taken by another.

So, she concluded that the only answer would be to stay vigilant and _never_ let them see the face she borrowed. It would be difficult, especially for the times when it would be necessary to remove the cowl, but if she could time it to when no one was around then it would be doable. No less difficult, but still doable. Perhaps she could enlist Zevran’s aid if she built enough trust between them. As she spoke to him the other night, he was less likely to be curious or ask questions for propriety, so he could ensure no one would go near her when she needed to let her guard down.

Iris relaxed slowly, feeling more secure as the plan formed in her mind.

It could work. If she planned it carefully, she could make _sure_ it would work.

Iris huffed a laugh as an amusing thought came to mind. If she looked on the brighter side, her appearance being unknown even among travel companions completed the ‘mysterious Seer’ image, so it worked well together. She didn’t know how long she would play it up, but since it was working for her thus far and didn’t hurt anyone, she didn’t see any reason to stop. Especially when she was having fun.

“Hawkeye, are you decent?” a familiar voice called from outside her tent.

She smiled, noting the perfect timing as she fastened the belt around the waist and finished dressing up. Then, she walked up to the entrance and stepped outside to see Alder waiting for her a few feet from her tent. She smiled at him through the eyes.

“As decent as I’ll ever be in these conditions,” she answered jovially. The look in the eyes turned happily expectant. “I assume we’ll be training during our watch?”

He grinned at her in turn as he led her to the edge of camp. “You know the answer to that by now.”

She laughed lightly in turn. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

Unlike other watches before it with stray darkspawn wandering close but quickly dealt with, their watch was mostly uneventful. It helped that the time selected was one when the sun rose and some started to wake, making any attack – especially from darkspawn with their light sensitivity – strategically ill-timed. Iris wondered if Alder chose this time because of the aforementioned low risk and greatest chance of uninterrupted sleep in consideration for Iris who wasn’t used to watches. Knowing her ‘brother’, it sounded like something he would do, and she greatly appreciated the gesture.

From the watch, the only moment of action they encountered was when they heard a rustling in the bushes and Alder went off to investigate. He returned moments later, carrying a dead deer over his shoulders and a broad grin on his face. Iris smiled at the sight. Dahlia would be happy to have something to use for breakfast that wasn’t from the dried food.

Aside from coincidental hunting and watching for signs of danger, the two did as expected and trained Iris by using their rounds around the camp as parkour practice. They first made a leisurely circle around the site and mapped out their predetermined track, guaranteeing that the surfaces were safe and there were enough obstacles on the course to prove a fun challenge. Then, once ready, the pair picked a starting point by the side of the camp furthest from the tents, glanced at each other in challenge and synched the start of their run.

It wasn’t a race by any means, though Alder may have rubbed it in Iris’ face that he had been allegedly winning at certain points. Iris answered by jumping or flipping over an obstacle that Alder had to circle around, and the move put her ahead of him for an instant before she returned to her leisurely pace. He stopped teasing her after the third time.

For Iris though, the practice today wasn’t about speed. It was about using a variety of tricks in navigating through obstacles and refining her technique. There were only so many ways you could flip, jump, vault or maneuver around things, so she had to get them right for the body to get accustomed to the movement.

As she landed in a roll from a wider jump, Iris smiled to herself as she noted her improvements since arriving in Thedas. She had come far from struggling to walk after Bethany’s ogre beating, and though it wasn’t anywhere near the level she was at before, it was progress. Hopefully, the upcoming ‘upgrade’ she had in mind would allow for her to push the limits of what the body offered.

Eyes looked on at the upcoming obstacles…and the smile stayed as she ran towards them. Movements were quick as she weaved above and below a line of fallen trees with vaults and slides. At the end of the line, she turned her attention to an upright tree with many branches and quickly climbed up. The smile stayed as she gradually gained height and swung onto its thickest, most stable branch, then immediately pushed off and flowed into a fancier jump into the next tree. The smile turned into an elated grin as she flew through the air in the jump, temporary weightlessness as a familiar and welcome sensation before being brought back to the world again in a graceful precision landing on another tree branch.

A sigh of happiness passed the lips at the physical exertion, loving the feeling she got from moving. There was nothing like it and it made her happy to still be able to do it.

The branch she perched on shook slightly as Alder landed beside her with a similar smile. Though he was physically fitter by comparison, he seemed to have pushed himself further in their exercise, looking more out of breath than she did. A look passed between them and his grin widened. Iris laughed lightly in turn.

“That was quite the performance,” a familiar pleasant feminine voice said from below them.

Both turned their attention to their surprise company as they were met with the sight of Zevran and Elissa, peering up at them from the base of the tree. Alder wasted no time and jumped down to greet them, landing in a crouch and straightening easily.

“Wasn’t expecting an audience,” Alder said jovially as he approached them. Iris noted that his gaze lingered on Zevran a moment longer than Elissa, though she guessed it was in wariness from the prior night.

Iris regarded them from her perch with a nod as she steadily caught her breath. “Good morning to you both.”

Eyes scanned the pair to casually note their current condition. Zevran seemed to be relaxed and at ease, meeting her scrutinizing gaze with a charming smile. She felt herself start to react, but she pushed to ignore it and turn her attention to Elissa.

While Zevran appeared to be fine, Elissa _seemed_ fine at first glance, but closer inspection told a different story. The look in the eyes turned knowing and mildly sympathetic at the signs of Elissa’s tiredness. Iris guessed that the Warden wasn’t used to the nightmares yet, and though the game depicted that it was an occurrence that came with being a Grey Warden, she wondered how this would realistically affect her capabilities as a leader.

Eyes showed the sympathy, though the tone stayed easy. “I hope you had a pleasant rest, all things considered?”

Elissa gave Iris a questioning glance, undoubtedly asking what she knew, but Iris only answered with a knowing smile in the eyes.

“It was as pleasant as per usual,” Elissa answered with a smile. “But I didn’t expect to see you train so early this morning.”

Iris noted the Warden’s deflection but allowed it to slide. If she didn’t want to talk about it, a Seer certainly shouldn’t pry.

“Travelling won’t excuse skipping training so we take what chances we can,” Alder said with hands on his hips in an easy but confident stance.

Elissa hummed in agreement as she looked between them. “For still requiring training, it was no less impressive.” Her gaze settled on Iris. “Especially your agility, Hawkeye. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought you a rogue.”

Alder grinned proudly. “Precisely the point.”

“It is quite the cunning ruse,” Zevran said with approval as he eyed Iris. “If an enemy fought one with your movement, they certainly would not expect a mage. However, may I suggest a few other skills to complete the deception?”

Alder’s grin turned into an unamused frown and Iris knew he was going to quip back at Zevran, so she beat him to it.

“Is this an offer to be taught by a famous Antivan Crow?” Iris asked with an amused undertone.

Zevran smiled. “Perhaps. If you are _truly_ insistent…” he said, appearing as if she pushed further than she did. Iris shook the head at the display, but amusement stayed. “Well, let me think about it.” He shrugged. “The Crows are already angry at me, yes? I may have nothing more to lose. Who knows?”

“Yes, well,” Alder cut in, stepping between Zevran and Iris’ perch, ready to argue. “Doubt she’ll require anything from you beyond the initial agreement—”

“But we shall see.” Iris countered with finality as she jumped down from the tree branch and landed in a crouch. She dusted herself off as she moved to stand with a smile in the eyes. “After all, it would be reassuring to have other useful skills.”

Alder shot her an accusing look, but Iris ignored him and maintained the smile. This was a potential offer to be trained by Zevran earlier than expected. If they were closer, maybe she could learn a few skills from the Assassin specialization even when she wasn’t a true rogue. The game wouldn’t have allowed this type of multiclass, but as this was real life, she could test the waters. She wasn’t _completely_ sure if she could, but she saw only one way to find out.

“Regardless,” Elissa said, moving on from the exchange. “It’s comforting to know of your current capabilities, especially for the battles to come. I know you’ll have Zevran to protect you, but I’d be more confident knowing you could handle yourself as well.”

Iris hummed in agreement. “Not to worry. You’ve seen my work in Redcliffe. You’re fully aware of how my information will be of use to you and I shall take the utmost care to stay away from the fighting.” She shifted position as she stood, seeing the opening in the conversation as the opportunity to reveal her new ability. Taking the chance, the tone shifted to lightly amused. “But on that topic, Elissa…I believe I should inform you of one more ability that I’m sure you’ll find rather useful.”

Elissa gave her a subdued smile. Iris wondered if she was more wary now for any additional conditions to this ability, or if she was bracing herself for a shock. Either way, Iris was sure that the Warden wouldn’t be ready for what she was about to disclose.

“You have more to share? This is a pleasant surprise,” Elissa joked. “And here I was prepared to see you provide information before the moment it was necessary. Or perhaps in ambiguous riddles again?”

Iris laughed. That was a _classic_ trope for an Oracle type, but she wouldn’t maintain _that_ stunt after the initial meeting. She wanted to spend time and brain power _planning,_ not finding how to phrase a prediction in the most roundabout way possible. And when she imagined doing so in the upcoming battles, she thought it was hilariously _horrible_ idea if she needed to relay information in cryptic riddle while in a high stress situation.

“I _did_ say I would not be so cruel if I would become your ally,” Iris said amicably. “And I intend to respect you as our leader.” A hand waved to emphasize her point. “However, I won’t be divulging _all_ my secrets. Some will be revealed when the moment is right to not distract you with what else must be done, while others must remain as secret as they are. I hope you understand.”

“We all have our secrets. So long as it is with the end of the Blight or betterment of Ferelden in mind, I trust you will do as you must,” Elissa acknowledged with a nod.

Eyes smiled with satisfaction. “Excellent. Now…” Iris stepped closer to the pair and offered a hand to each of them. “May I please have your hands?”

Curiosity and subdued excitement showed on their faces as Zevran and Elissa each took a hand.

Fingers curled around their hands and Iris closed the eyes, reaching out to her power. The familiar warmth welcomed her as she tapped into the reserve within. A wave of comfort washed over her, feeling like a refreshing and safe return home after a long journey. She took in a breath, reminding herself that she couldn’t linger. She moved the energy within her and detached a small part of the power, willing it to flow into each hand and around her companions. The light and warmth followed her mental instruction and flowed through, passing from the hand to her targets. Steady and sure, it took only a second to envelop them in an aura of her power.

Once they were encased in the aura, she opened the eyes. It was time to test the ability’s true limits.

‘Can you hear me?’ Iris said as she sent it through the connection for everyone linked to her.

Elissa started in surprise and pulled her hand back, while Zevran’s eyes widened in shock and his grip on the hand tightened subconsciously. Iris smiled beneath the mask and glanced behind her to see Alder smirking at their reactions. He returned her gaze and gave a small nod, confirming that he heard her words as well. Iris turned back to the pair, noting that it was likely then that Dahlia heard from her spot in the camp’s cooking area. At least she wouldn’t need to update their mother of when this would happen later with this equivalent of a live update.

“Maker’s breath! What was that?!"

Iris chuckled mentally, sending the sound through their link.

‘Don’t be alarmed,’ she reassured. ‘It’s just my new ability.’

Hand pulled back from Zevran’s, but not without feeling the light caress of his fingers as she withdrew. It took much of her willpower to stop herself from breaking character. Eyes glanced at him for a second with the intent to scold, but it was only met with a teasing smile. Eyes narrowed. Was that revenge for her surprise? Arms crossed and hand rubbed on her clothing to forget the feeling as she forced herself back into the Seer persona.

Focus.

An amused smile showed in the eyes as she returned to character and looked to Elissa. ‘Quite the trick, isn’t it? I thought I might offer this as an alternate means of communicating with the team in battle.’ She held out a hand, gesturing an offer. ‘What say you, lady Warden?’

“This is—” Elissa started, but then words failed her. She likely still felt the disorientation at hearing Iris’ voice in her mind. The Warden released a breath and tried to regain her composure. “I knew to expect a surprise, but I’ve _never_ heard of anything like this.”

‘I believe it is one of a kind. And it is at your disposal, should you wish to use it.’ The mental tone turned teasing. ‘However, if you _would_ like to use it, I recommend _practice_.’

‘Not to worry,’ Alder added through the connection as Iris rapidly relayed it to the others in the conversation. Elissa’s gaze to sought him out in surprise. ‘The shock fades with time. And once you get used to it, it’s can be quite handy.’

“You knew about this,” Elissa stated. "I suppose you’ve been making use of it as well?"

‘Only recently,’ Alder answered. His tone turned teasing with humor. ‘Try speaking through your _mind_ this time, Elissa. You appear to be having a one-sided conversation with us staring at you otherwise.’ Elissa flushed at the observation as Alder’s tone turned back to serious with his instruction. ‘Push the thought outward with the intent to send. It should be fairly simple.’

Elissa frowned, but reluctantly did as she was asked. ‘Like this?’

‘Precisely,’ Iris said with approval in the mental tone. ‘You’re a quick study, my lady.’

‘Thank you,’ Elissa responded. A pause in consideration followed as Iris could practically see the gears turning in the Warden’s mind. Now that the shock steadily wore off, she likely thought of applying this ability in battle. ‘This is certainly an invaluable offering.’ Elissa’s curious gaze met Iris. ‘Might you tell me more of the ability? Are there limits? I wish to see how we can use it effectively for our own group.’

Iris gave her a shallow bow. ‘Of course, my lady. I am here to assist.’

The time after the reveal was spent with Alder and Iris explaining the mechanics and limitations of the telepathy, though they conveniently left out mentioning the custom mark and Iris knowing where they were once marked. Iris knew sharing that fact would be dangerous as anyone – even one as trusting as Elissa – would be wary if someone knew where they were at all times. In addition, she doubted that some in the team would use the telepathy if they knew, as many liked their privacy or required secrecy as they schemed behind the scenes.

‘I can maintain this connection for up to five people,’ Iris explained as they continued to practice speaking with one another. ‘However, I will keep one with Dahlia for my peace of mind, and one with Zevran for obvious reasons.’

Elissa nodded in understanding. ‘Do include myself to your mandatory connections. That then leaves two more to use as we please.’ Her hand moved to her chin in thought. ‘This ability might be quite timely. I spoke to Alistair last night of how our group is becoming sizable that it may work to against us for what is to come. We thought to divide the group into the main force and reserve who will trail behind as reinforcements.’ Elissa slowly started to smile as the idea formed. ‘With this limit in connections, we might use your ability to determine the main force that will spearhead the missions.’

‘A sound judgement,’ Iris said with a nod of approval and agreement. ‘Though I would suggest fighting _without_ the connection at times. It _is_ a convenient skill, but it’s easy to grow too reliant upon it. We wouldn’t want to dull your fighting prowess if I were not around.’

‘True. You are a help, but we must not make you our weakness.’ Elissa smiled. ‘You’ve given me much to think about, Hawkeye. I do thank you for sharing this with us as it is an invaluable skill that will aid us in the coming tasks.’ She turned to leave, excitement showing in her demeanor. ‘But now, if you excuse me, I must speak to Alistair and discuss with him how to inform the rest. We will reconvene later with those who consent to participating.’

And with that, the discussion ended. Iris smiled as it went as well as she hoped, and this would make communication between the party _much_ easier from now on.

As Elissa left to seek out her fellow Warden, Iris, Alder and Zevran leisurely returned to the campsite and saw the others milling about. Leliana assisted Dahlia with the morning’s breakfast. Morrigan spoke to Sten, likely trying to tease him with a proposition for sex as in the game based on the looks she was giving him. Alistair played with Dog as Wynne watched with a serene smile.

Iris’ gaze sought out Dahlia in the cooking area, and without needing to say a word, the old woman gave her a pleased smile, showing her approval at the events that transpired. Iris returned it, smiling with the eyes.

Iris and Alder used the momentary free time to return to their tents, freshen up from training, and pack their belongings for the journey ahead so they wouldn’t need to rush after breakfast. Alder telepathically guided her efficiently putting away her tent to maximize the space in her pack again, and once done, the ex-Seeker left her alone to work on his and Dahlia’s things.

With a lack of anything more to do besides wait for food, Iris thought to busy herself with observing the group again when a familiar voice spoke in her mind.

‘You are certainly _full_ of surprises.’

She did her best not to start again but couldn’t hold back an involuntarily jolt of the body. She turned to face her bodyguard, aware of his presence a few feet away from her as he leaned against a tree with his own belongings packed.

‘Evidently, so are you. Is it a habit of yours to startle _all_ your clients this way or is this special treatment?’

His chuckle carried through the connection. ‘You wound me, my dear Seer. You must know you deserve only the best with how special you truly are.’

Iris huffed in amusement at the implication that he was the best as she abandoned her plans of observing with Zevran watching, slung her pack over a shoulder and walked to the wagon to load it. Without prompt, Zevran followed in step beside her, joining her on her walk to the wagon.

‘This way of speaking is quite intriguing…’ His tone somehow changed into a seductive smoothness in her mind. ‘Having one’s thoughts entering the mind of another so easily…It is rather _intimate,_ is it not?’

A chill ran up the spine at the tone, but she forcibly pushed forward. ‘In a way, it is.’ She looked at him pointedly. ‘But it’s to be used for _important_ matters only, if you please.’

‘Becoming more acquainted with you is as important as they come, I say.’

She hated that she couldn’t quip back with a refusal when she had the same intent, though it seemed that they had different ideas of how to go about it. She sighed as she continued walking, making a mental note speak with him again later and hoping that this reveal wouldn’t become more troublesome than helpful.

* * *

_“I wonder how you plan to navigate this.”_

Iris expected the succeeding days of travel to be as uneventful and peaceful as the first. She expected it to offer the respite she desired, allowing her to think about the upcoming quests following the game’s timeline and seeing what changes she could make that would make Thedas better.

However, things don’t always go according to plan. She knew that there were many factors that could contribute to events straying from expectations, and she could plan around some of them, if she was careful or had enough foresight to prepare.

But in this case, the cause of the plan’s ‘deviations’ was none other than her bodyguard.

Her _distracting_ bodyguard who seemed to be _targeting_ her with his seduction efforts.

Iris sighed, mentally berating herself for her oversight. She should’ve seen this coming. She had the power to foresee the future and she vaguely knew the characters as they were in the game, and she already made the mistake of misjudging him once, but, yet _again_ , she underestimated Zevran’s tenacity for seduction when ‘befriending’ a target would be beneficial to him. It wasn’t to say that she was his _only_ target as, true to the game, he showed interest in _everyone_ in their party, save for Dog. However, she did notice that he seemed to pay more attention to her than others. Whether this was from their business connection or him outright targeting her, she couldn’t say, but she could only assume his intent with a high chance of being correct.

To the assassin’s credit, it was an intelligent move that made sense for a self-preservation strategy, even when she wasn’t sure how to feel with being on the receiving end. She thought she took enough precaution with the talk they had the other night, expecting that it would be a deterrent when she drew a _clear_ limit that conflicted with his very _physical_ romance route. But it seemed she was wrong.

And now, she paid the price for her mistake by dealing with his…advances.

At first, his efforts were subtle. Like the touches and glances in their conversation with Elissa, Zevran would take what small opportunities he could to show his…whatever it was he showed. Iris dared not call it affection because she _knew_ that he didn’t feel anything for her as matters stood. It was a tactical ploy and nothing more. Being aware of the fact made staying civil and impassive easier as Iris held fast and would not reciprocate. There were times he caught her off-guard more and she unwittingly showed she was affected then, but it was not enough to encourage any further development.

One of the more memorable instances occurred after they departed the campsite and continued their journey on the wagon. They were seated in the same arrangement as the previous day for convenience, and all seemed normal at first glance. However, that day had the _notable_ difference of Zevran subtly placing his arm around Iris for the duration of the trip.

Initially, Iris thought it was a momentary placement, perhaps he was pushing off the wall to get into a comfortable position. But as his arm stayed in place and her self-consciousness grew, it dawned that it was a deliberate move by the assassin. She wanted to move away before her heart had other ideas, but unfortunately, she was trapped between him, the wagon wall and the baggage, making any kind of retreat impossible.

So, she tried another course of action: communication.

‘Zevran.’ Iris sent through the connection.

She waited for a few moments, but no response came as he continued his conversation with Morrigan.

‘Zevran,’ Iris said more firmly. ‘I know you can hear me.’

His gaze slid on her for a moment in a lull in the conversation. ‘I can. But why respond when I might enjoy my name said in a voice as sweet as yours?’

Iris choked mid-breath at the line, causing her to double over in coughing fit as she felt the face heat.

“Oh!” came Wynne’s concerned voice. “Are you alright, Hawkeye?”

“I’m fine,” Iris reassured quickly with a wave as she breathed slowly to recover with a hand over the mouth.

Eyes glanced sideways to Zevran for a quick glare, but it was only met with a chuckle.

As she didn’t want a repeat performance, she then tried to subtly call his attention, but he intentionally conversed with other people to not give her an opening as he maintained the touch.

After her fifth failed attempt, she resigned to enduring the rather secure though not uncomfortable distraction but resolved to remain outwardly unaffected. He may have gotten his way, but she refused to let him have a total victory.

This also marked the point of escalation as Alder noticed the arm placement halfway through the trip when he switched driver duties with Dahlia. To say that he was furious would be an understatement as he telepathically argued with their mother to stop the wagon and rearrange their positions, intending to put as much distance between Zevran and Iris as physically possible. Dahlia, however, pushed to continue traveling and counter-argued that they were fine as they were. After all, any rearrangement would only inconvenience them when it would be dark soon. Iris frowned as she transmitted the older woman’s words, sensing an unspoken intent from Dahlia. She didn’t know what her mother knew or had planned, but she had her suspicions from the glint in Dahlia’s eyes when she glanced back at Iris and met Zevran’s gaze with an encouraging smile.

Night fell on the second day, and they pitched camp again. Iris expected for it to be her opportunity to relax and unwind, but plans continued to _not_ go her way as her brother had other ideas. In his built-up annoyance from what transpired, Alder stubbornly took matters into his own hands by hounding her for the first part of the night. Whether she was unloading her things, setting up her tent or helping Dahlia, Alder _persistently_ stayed close to Iris and ensured that the assassin wouldn’t go anywhere _near_ her while at camp.

“Is this necessary?” Iris asked, a hint of annoyance showing in the tone.

“Yes,” Alder said firmly with arms crossed as he leaned against a tree.

Iris frowned at him. “Is that an objective observation or a personal opinion?”

But Alder didn’t respond as his attention was immediately on Zevran as he walked by. The Seeker appeared to try for intimidation, and it might work on any other man, but not one who underwent the Crow’s training.

Zevran laughed before giving Alder an appreciative smile. “Such _fire_ in your eyes, it’s a good look on you, my friend.”

Alder balked in response and Iris bit back a laugh.

For his part, Zevran seemed to find Alder’s effort more entertaining than a real deterrent and took chances to tease the Seeker with quips from a reasonable distance while still doing his job.

Iris, though, found it _far_ less amusing. She initially tolerated the so-called ‘protection’ as she fully knew Alder meant well and it was allegedly for her ‘safety’. But as the night wore on and the actions began to hinder her own tasks, she quickly decided it was more stifling than helpful.

Thankfully, Dahlia put a stop to Alder when the animal fat Iris was rendering almost caught fire due to Alder’s determined hovering and banished him from the cooking area. Alder tried to argue with their mother again, but this only made Dahlia _more_ annoyed with him that she recruited Zevran for cooking help to spite her son. In the end, Alder sat defeated by the campfire and quietly fumed for the rest of the night as Dahlia added the first set of ingredients to the waiting pot, Zevran showed his skills with a knife in ingredient preparation, and Iris filed away to memory the endearing trivia that the assassin knew how to cook.

Iris hoped that it was the end of it. After all, Dahlia showed that she wasn’t going to tolerate Alder’s antics so she thought that it would be enough to dissuade him…but yet _again,_ those hopes would only be wishful thinking as Alder’s overprotective streak continued to the next day. This time, Zevran matched it with his own solid counters as it became less entertaining when Alder’s efforts steadily escalated and hindered him from performing his job. This turned the casual banter into a series of matches through the day. They ranged from verbal exchanges of Alder’s snarky comments and Zevran’s comebacks about jealousy, possessiveness or a threesome, prompting Alder to quickly switch tactics, to Alder keeping Iris busy with tasks and training as far away from wherever Zevran was, but the assassin always found a way to stay close by. And amid the social mess, Iris exasperatedly found herself caught in the middle. Any attempts at distancing were thwarted as the antics happened _around_ her, and any hope that they would work it out as adults seemed to die with each match.

“What part of ‘stay _far_ away from her’ is so _hard_ to understand?”

“Ah, are we speaking of hardness now? If you needed _assistance_ , Seeker, you need only ask.”

Iris sighed as she watched Alder’s irritation for Zevran grow through their most recent exchange.

“They are still fighting?” an accented voice asked from behind her. Iris turned to see Leliana, Morrigan and Elissa walking up to where she sat waiting for the wagon to leave.

“Sadly,” Iris confirmed tiredly as she continued to observe them from a distance.

“I didn’t think it was possible, but they may be worse than Alistair and Morrigan,” Elissa commented with a smile.

Alistair winced as he turned to Elissa with a frown. “You must be joking. We can’t be _that_ annoying.”

“Hmmm…You and Morrigan sound like an old married couple,” Leliana commented. “They sound like a cat and dog fighting.”

“When you put it like that, I can’t tell which is worse,” Alistair said dryly.

Iris would’ve been driven mad had it not been for other matters to preoccupy her through the day, like spending time with Dahlia as a safe haven from their arguments, training parkour and weaponry in the mornings, and practicing telepathy with her companions when Elissa and Alistair gave the news that all in the party consented to using her power. This surprised Iris as she thought that Sten would be more hesitant, but it seemed that the practicality of the skill won over his aversion to magic. It made sense, as he was open to healing from Wynne, so why not communicating through thoughts?

Although there were opportunities to make use of the ability in battle against darkspawn, the use of the skill was limited to urgent instruction and information from Elissa until they got accustomed to speaking through their minds. Until then, their practices mostly happened on the road with predetermined party members that switched at intervals for all to have a chance with the ability. Morrigan and Wynne took to it easiest and quickly had conversations and banter within minutes. Leliana and Alistair struggled with _not_ projecting certain thoughts like melodies and hunger, but eventually caught on. Sten proved a tough test when he opted not to speak much at all. It took Iris and Elissa discussing their views of the world for the man to truly open up in more than single word responses. Overall, Iris was pleased at the progress and found the conversation with them genuinely pleasant.

However, even these practices weren’t safe from their bickering, as the moment Zevran took the chance to send a few casual flirty lines through the connection that caught Iris off-guard, Alder was quick to come to her defense and urged Iris to send his messages to the assassin. She refused, causing Alder to argue with her. But with the multiple conversations from the party, Zevran and Alder happening at once, managing it quickly drained Iris’ mental energy and cut the practice short.

As Iris brought the cowl over the eyes and headache radiated from the exertion, a resolve built within her. She hoped it would die down, but it was too much to ask. She hoped they would work it out between them, but as things stood, that wasn’t going to happen.

They had two more days until the separation from her family, and she didn’t want to spend any more of it with _bickering_.

It _had_ to stop. So, if they wouldn’t stop without prompt, she would need to _make_ them stop for her sake.

Arm placed over the eyes as she formulated a plan. The easiest way to go about it would be to speak to them. Of the two, Alder was often the one who instigated and escalated, so he was the logical first choice. If she could make him see reason, then the very _limited_ time they had left could be spent with peace. She decided that it would be best to speak to him in-person instead of telepathically, as the face-to-face interaction might compel him to listen and she would be sure that she had his full attention. And if it didn’t work, she would be reassured that she gave her best attempt without room for doubt.

Her opportunity came when they were about to stop and make camp that evening. She found a suitable spot near a stream of fresh water and volunteered to go with Alder to assure that the area around the site was safe. His expression showed he approved, as she guessed that he would’ve dragged her with him anyway. But when they walked away from the wagon and patrolled the area, she wasted little time in getting to the heart of the issue.

Iris readied herself for the possible argument as she sighed tiredly and started to speak. “Alder, this has to stop.”

“Whatever do you mean, little mage?” he asked, feigning innocence.

“You know very well what I mean,” she pushed, then allowed the disappointment show in the voice. “All this arguing. I didn’t think you were the sort to be this _petty_.”

Alder frowned. “Would prefer overprotective, thank you.”

“More overbearing with what’s happening,” she stated, crossing the arms as she looked at him. “I know you’re doing this with the best intentions, but this isn’t the way to do it. You’re better than this.”

“I’m only doing what must be done to assure your safety,” he said firmly. “Once he understands and keeps his distance, I’ll stop.”

“You know it’ll make his job more difficult. And I’m not in any danger from Zevran,” she argued with exasperation.

“Not _yet_.” His eyes narrowed. “You’re not fooling me.”

Iris tensed. So, she wasn’t as careful as she thought. If Alder thought Zevran was a ‘threat’ based on the flirting alone, she could work around it with vague reassurances. But since he was aware of her attraction, that put the flirting in a new, more dangerous light and he wouldn’t be convinced by argument she might offer.

She wasn’t going to win this. She sighed in exasperated defeat as they completed the patrol and she returned to the wagon.

“You’re insufferable,” she muttered under her breath as she turned away from him.

“Heard that!” he called out to her retreating back.

With that failed attempt, it seemed that there would be no reasoning with the Seeker – not when he was convinced he was on the right path. So, the only other option she had was speaking to Zevran. Between them, she knew she could reason with him and he would stand down from retaliating, if asked. At worst case, she could ask him to lay low until Alder and Dahlia left or have him tail her with stealth. Seeing as the in-person conversation with Alder went better than telepathic interactions, she opted to do the same with Zevran. That way, he wouldn’t be able to ignore her, and it would be easier counter his deflections with non-verbal means. It was a solid enough plan, so all she needed to do was execute it.

However, finding an opportunity to talk to her bodyguard would prove tricky when Alder continued to ensure that the two of them weren’t alone for longer than necessary. How could she do talk to him when the Seeker would stop her? The logical answer was to approach Zevran at a time that Alder wouldn’t be able to see them…

And then, an idea came to mind. Iris smiled behind the cowl.

‘Zevran,’ she said through the link, sending it only to him. ‘Can you take the watch before mine tomorrow? I need to speak with you.’

The response came quickly as a chuckle rang through the connection.

‘A secret rendezvous, is it?’ he teased in response. ‘As you wish, my dear.’

She pushed aside the rush of emotion that came with his words and proceeded with the rest of the night normally, moving to unload her items from the wagon. The smile stayed hidden beneath the cowl as she formulated her plan and back-up plans, in case anything went awry.

If there would be no chance to meet with Zevran, she would have to _create_ a chance to speak with him.

* * *

_“You’re caught in a difficult situation. What will you do now?”_

The new day began with Iris enacting her plan. She managed to wake earlier than her assigned watch, as intended, and dressed quickly to not waste time. Once ready, she felt out for the custom marks scattered around the area. Two marks – Dahlia and Elissa – were asleep within their tents. A mark around a larger form – Morrigan – wandered far from the camp. And then…Iris frowned at noticing the location of the remaining two marks. One was within the camp, moving as if fighting, while the other was patrolling around the campsite.

She guessed that the one patrolling was Zevran, given his turn on watch. But the other mark was on Alistair. She doubted the ex-Templar was close enough to Sten where the Qunari would oblige a sparring match and it couldn’t be Leliana as her watch ended before Zevran’s, guaranteeing that she was asleep…so that could only mean that Alder was awake earlier than she thought.

To determine her next moves, she needed to verify her deduction. So, she wasted no time and quickly detached a small amount of her power, creating an Eye beside her. She willed the Eye out of her tent, and it followed her instructions, hovering over the camp. Sure enough, on the other end of the site away from the tents were two men sparring – Alistair with a sword and shield, and Alder with two short swords, trading blows and expertly maneuvering around each other. She couldn’t guess how long they’d been at the exercise by now, so she had to assume that her window of opportunity was slim.

She had to move fast. She got into position by the exit of her tent and waited for a moment when Alder shifted position with his back turned to the tents…

…then when the moment came, she willed her power around the body, turning it invisible. Quickly and quietly, she snuck out of the tent, making it appear as if a gust of wind blew the tent flap open in case anyone was watching, before moving to the tree line closest to her area. She stayed invisible until she was safely away from view of the warriors and listened for any signs that they may have spotted her.

A few moments passed and she found no change, Iris finally relaxed with a sigh, dispelled the aura and her Eye and carefully walked towards Zevran’s mark.

‘Zevran?’ she called out telepathically as she stepped closer.

No response came. Gaze moved upward to where she saw the aura in a tree, and she stood beneath where he perched.

‘I know you’re there.’

‘So, you do.’

That was all the warning she received before he swooped down and pulled her into the tree. A small yelp of surprise escaped her, but it was quickly cut off by a strong hand over the cowl and mouth as the back pushed against the tree trunk.

Zevran hushed her, a smile playing on his lips. She glared at him and swatted his hand away but nonetheless obliged by remaining quiet. Both stayed still for a few moments in waiting, when the distinct sound of footsteps approached.

“Are you _sure_ you didn’t hear that?” a familiar voice said as it moved closer to the area.

“For the fifth time, Alder, _yes_ , I’m sure,” Alistair said with exasperation. “Has anyone told you that you worry too much?”

“Often,” Alder said, as he stepped beneath their tree with brown hair peeking through the leaves and branches.

Iris remained still as she fought down the panic and observed the Seeker, ready to turn invisible again if he showed any sign of looking up. She glanced at her companion on the branch for his reaction and frowned when he appeared to be relaxed and even _enjoying_ the moment as he also kept his gaze on Alder. She supposed it made sense that he wasn’t worried if they were caught in this scandalous situation, but it would do him no favors if _she_ were mad at him after.

It took a few more seconds before they finally heard the Seeker sigh.

“See? I told you it was the wind.”

“Still doubt that.” Alder’s tone turned lighthearted as he moved to walk away. “But suppose there’s no use wasting time when I could be kicking your arse.”

“Yes, you—Hey, wait a moment…”

The voices trailed off as they got further from the location. Iris waited a few more minutes before she finally relaxed with a quiet sigh of relief. That was too close for comfort. She would’ve _never_ heard the end of it if Alder caught her in a tree with Zevran.

As she made a mental note to _never_ do this again, a low chuckle sounded from her companion. Eyes narrowed in a glare at his amusement.

“Rather exciting for an early hour. It seems there is never a dull moment with you, is there?”

“It’s excitement I could live without,” she said, keeping the voice’s volume low in case it called attention to their presence again. “Is this more of your special treatment then?”

Zevran chuckled at the callback. “Consider it a surprise. If there must be a secret rendezvous, I thought you might appreciate one in the privacy of the trees.” He gave her a playful smile as his voice dropped to a seductive low rumble. “It has a forbidden charm, no?”

Thankfully prepared, she willed the body not to react, but still tensed slightly at the sudden awareness of their closeness. There was barely a foot between them with the limited space on the branch. She had her back against the tree trunk with nowhere to go unless she rolled off. She _could_ , if he tried to pull anything, though she was unsure if she could outmatch his speed.

But this wasn’t the time to think of running. It was finally the time to talk. Eyes met his as determination built.

“Zevran,” she said, volume remaining low. “This has to stop.”

“Oh?” he asked with curiosity. “And what is ‘this’ that must be stopped, hm?”

The true meaning behind the question didn’t slip past her. Between the flirting and the arguments, which did she prioritize stopping? Yes, they were connected, and the flirting was arguably the source of the arguments but…

“The arguing,” she said decisively. “Must you goad Alder so much?”

“When he prevents me from performing the job I was contracted to do, then yes.”

“You know by now that he’s protective of me. Granted that it has never been to this extent before, but I’m sure both of us can understand why.”

He smiled as he casually shrugged. “It’s true, you _are_ a treasure worthy of protection.”

“That isn’t—” She stopped and released an exasperated sigh. Patience, she reminded herself as she fought back other emotions yet again. She needed _so much_ patience. “You know what I mean.”

Zevran chuckled. “He does not appreciate us becoming closer, yes?”

“No, he doesn’t,” Iris said. “But I wouldn’t say we _have_ become closer when our interactions have mostly involved your flirting.”

“I am simply showing interest in one who is interested,” he said easily, as if he were pointing out the obvious.

Iris tensed and prepared herself for whatever might come with the rest of the conversation. She didn’t like where this was going. But she knew that there was no use denying or playing dumb when caught by an expert.

“So, you know.”

“I would be failure at my craft if I didn’t see the signs.”

“Then I will make this clear,” she said, firmly building her resolve. Eyes met his with determination. “I might be attracted to you, but as I am now, regardless of what you do, I _cannot_ and _will_ _not_ give in to whatever I feel.”

His lips curved into an amused smirk. He placed his hands on the tree trunk, positioned on either side of the head, and leaned in close. In the moment it counted for her, she didn’t flinch. She felt the face heat with the proximity, but she maintained eye contact, determined not to falter.

“And yet you do not refuse my advances nor ask me to stop.” His voice dropped again to the low rumble. “Then what do you wish, my dear Seer? What am I to do with you?”

The gaze didn’t falter, though Iris did. But she wouldn’t let him win.

“Do what you will.”

And with that, she took the opportunity to push past his arm and roll out of the tree, activating her invisibility as she fell, and landing in a side roll onto the dirt. It wasn’t the most graceful execution, but it would do. As she got up from her roll, she noted Zevran looked on in the general direction of where she stood.

His playful smirk stayed as he lazily perched on the branch. “How intriguing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a treat, we have [commissioned art by siligarlicsaus on Twitter of the last scene in the chapter between Zevran and Iris](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tVdSZe96LFOBVGWbyUhfMCu4kk0jYcY2/view?usp=sharing). He did an amazing job on this one that I **highly** recommend him. [ Link to his profile here](https://twitter.com/siligarlicsaus)! :3


	16. Chapter 16

Alder was conflicted.

There weren’t many times in his life where he found himself in this position. After all, he was quite resolute when he made up his mind and committed to whatever he sought to do. He was sure when he joined the Templar Order. He was sure when they offered him the chance to be a Seeker. He was sure when he swore to devote the remainder of his life to Dahlia and Whisper. And he still stood by all those decisions to this day.

But now, he found himself faced with a situation where he was conflicted on how to proceed.

On the one hand, he had his duty to Dahlia. He was her protector and right-hand man. He had his role with Whisper, and would do what must be done, which meant going to Denerim to secure their foothold in Ferelden amidst the Blight then move to Orlais for safety. It was straightforward and all standard business in taking care of his mother and the rest of their family.

On the other hand, there was Iris – his newest sister and the most unique resource they have found to date. From the moment she brought up going with the Grey Wardens, he was against the idea when she was a non-combatant. In hindsight, he should’ve known that she would find a way around it but begrudgingly gave her credit for her resourcefulness. If he were honest with himself, he _did_ agree that she would be useful in aiding the Wardens end the Blight and the solution offered _did_ solve their initial problems.

No, it wasn’t Iris he had a problem with. It was the _Crow_.

A neigh called his attention back to reality as he had involuntarily strengthened his grip on one of the horse’s reins. He quickly relaxed and pet the animal in an attempt to calm it, muttering an apology for his treatment as he finished checking the horses for the journey ahead.

He slowly released a breath and his annoyance with it. Relax, he reminded himself. He needed to _relax_ as the Crow was getting under his skin. He couldn’t let him win…even though he found it _incredibly_ hard to relax with how things were.

His hand clenched in a fist as he recalled how _difficult_ the past few days had been with the man’s presence – with all the flirting, side comments and staying so _close_ to Iris – and yet everyone was somehow _fine_ with him. Many thought they wouldn’t need to take him seriously, but did they not see that the flirting was a _disarming_ tool? It was a _classic_ trick used by female agents and the elf was a _specialist_ in that as well. Why did no one else recognize him as a _threat_? Yes, he had skills. _Maybe_ he was good looking. Yes, they had him protect Iris and he _seemed_ to want to _do_ the job. But that didn’t change Alder’s opinion of him. He didn’t like him when they met, he didn’t like that Dahlia _liked_ him for whatever reason and he _certainly_ didn’t like that _Iris_ liked him and he seemed to _revel in the idea_ when he could _use her at any moment and Alder had to make sure she was safe—_

“She isn’t Rosetta, you know.”

A subdued but gentle smile came to mind at the name. A sweet voice calling out for her brother and then the aching _pain_ —

He turned to the source of the voice and came face to face with Dahlia’s knowing smile. She chuckled lightly as Alder frowned at her words. He hadn’t heard that name in a while. It still brought a light pain, but it got duller with each day. He didn’t know if that was a good thing if it also meant eventually forgetting but…

“I know she isn’t,” Alder said. He hated how his voice wavered from the surprise and emotions that ran through him. Why did Dahlia mention _her_ at a time like this?

“Do you now?” she asked lightly, fully showing she wasn’t convinced.

He crossed his arms. “You don’t believe me.”

A fact, not a question. He knew his mother too well to ask.

“I can’t believe when your actions say otherwise. And recalling your stories, I see the similarities between them.” Another chuckle passed her lips. “Especially with Zevran around Iris as he is.”

“Then you see how dangerous he is,” he said definitively. “Shouldn’t there be distance between them then? And none of this _meddling_ with me?”

“Now, now, I didn’t say I agreed with you. I said I saw the similarities.” Her tone stayed slow and patient as her eyes met his. Her smile returned to knowing. “But you’d do well to remember that Rosetta is Rosetta as Iris is Iris. The circumstances may be similar, but they will walk their own paths.”

Alder frowned at his mother as his brow furrowed in confusion. Where was she going with this?

“What are you getting at?”

Then, Dahlia quietly but resolutely stepped closer. He didn’t move as she brought a hand to his arm in a light touch. Her eyes and smile softened as her tone turned gentle.

“Iris isn’t Rosetta,” she said slowly, allowing the words to sink in as they formed. “So, you need not treat this as another chance to redeem yourself, Alder.”

Alder’s eyes widened as his froze. He wasn’t doing that. He hadn’t—

But in a moment of clarity, he recalled his earlier thoughts…and gritted his teeth in frustration at himself.

No.

No, he had.

He _had_ thought it was his chance. He just wasn’t aware he was using it that way, yet he was acting on it without realizing.

Idiot. He let his emotions get the better of him and _slipped_. He knew it didn’t undo the recovery progress he made, but he hated the implications it brought.

Was he so _desperate_ to not relive the past?

He recalled the gentle smile and sweet voice calling out for her brother – for him. The pain came with it yet again and he had his answer.

Yes.

Yes, he was.

“I…”

He hated how pained that sounded. He knew it was good that someone like Dahlia saw through him and stopped him from doing these things, but he hated how he felt so _vulnerable._ Especially when he thought he was better than he was before.

His fist clenched in frustration…but Dahlia’s gentle hold found his.

“It’s alright, son. We all have our moments. And moving on is never easy…”

“But it’s necessary as I can’t stay trapped. I know.” He sighed as he released his grip and took Dahlia’s hand in his. The touch was comforting and grounded him to reality, though he hated the situation he found himself in. But he supposed he couldn’t wallow in self-pity. If he didn’t do too much damage with his actions, he could still fix it somehow.

His gaze met hers with tiredness and vulnerability.

“So,” he said, sounding as tired as he looked. “What should I do to make it better?”

Dahlia smiled at him gently. “Let her go. And give the Crow a fair chance.”

He let out a bigger sigh. “Was afraid you’d say that.” He gave her a small smile. “I’ll think about it.”

“We only have a day left, you know.”

“I know.” One day. Not nearly enough time. Then again, he didn’t know if there would ever be enough time when it involved those he cared about. But he had no choice in _this_ situation and had to work with what he was given. “Just need time to figure the best way to do this then.”

Dahlia nodded approvingly as she gave him a fond smile. “That’s my boy.”

* * *

The day’s wagon ride along the Imperial Highway was a stark contrast to the recent days of their journey as it passed with a surprising amount of silence. It was peaceful when one took the chance to enjoy the countryside that passed them by. And if not for the occasional bandit ambush and darkspawn attack, Alder would’ve taken his time more leisurely but sadly, that wasn’t happening.

At least it provided a good chance to think about what he would do with the time they had left. When it was his turn in the passenger’s seat, he spent much of the time reflecting on his actions. Though he loathed to admit it, but Iris was right – he could’ve been better, but didn’t handle the situation in the best way. He only hoped he wasn’t too late to make amends before parting. He planned to go with Dahlia’s suggestions as he agreed that he _had_ to let Iris go and give Zevran a fair chance as Iris’ protector. He didn’t mean he _liked_ the idea, but he _needed_ to do it for them to be effective in their mission and for his own peace of mind.

He sighed, feeling the weight of the task at hand as he pondered on courses of action for both. Letting Iris go was going to be harder to deal with emotionally, but if he kept himself in check, it might lighten the burden until they parted ways. Although, it wouldn’t also hurt to speak to her to repair any damage his overprotectiveness may have dealt. He doubted that there was anything lasting or anything they couldn’t talk about properly, but he wanted to be certain that nothing was left unsaid.

By comparison, dealing with Zevran was easier and more straightforward. After all, if he wanted to know a protector, he’d have to understand how they’d protect. And he knew just the test to give him. He only needed the opportunity.

‘Alder,’ said a familiar voice in his mind. ‘are you alright?’

The sound cut through his thoughts of preparation for the test, but he didn’t flinch. He was already accustomed to Iris’ new way of communication that a part of him vaguely wondered if he’d miss knowing he could talk to her at any moment with a push of a thought.

‘Of course,’ he replied. ‘Why wouldn’t I be?’

‘You’re oddly quiet today.’

He huffed a laugh at the thought that calm _silence_ was a possible sign of trouble. Though he supposed her alarm was understandable when they were _heavily_ arguing the previous days.

‘Didn’t you say you wanted peace?’ he teased.

‘I did.’ He could hear the wariness in her mental voice.

‘Well, here you have it. Is it so hard to believe?’

‘Yes.’

He held back his laugh at the quick response and instead, opted to tease. ‘You have so little faith in me, little mage. I’m hurt.’

‘No, you aren’t and we _both_ know it,’ she quipped back with the smile evident in her voice. Then it changed to gratitude and pride. ‘But nonetheless…thank you for this. I knew you were better.’

He smiled as he found himself relaxing and spent the rest of the day ironing out his plan for that evening in relative peace.

Night fell and they pitched camp together for the last time. The space still served as the comfortable haven from the wilderness and necessary breather for a long journey, but the atmosphere was different as the inevitable parting weighed on his family. He blamed Dahlia and Iris for putting the thought at the forefront as they made a dinner that was somehow more delicious and extravagant for camp rations in honor of the final night. He was only glad that everyone else – save for Sten and Morrigan who stayed as their usual antisocial selves – made it a happier occasion to enjoy what time they had left than a sad one to mourn the parting.

After dinner, the group spent their time as they pleased. He worried how it might affect Iris and Dahlia with nothing to busy themselves with, but Elissa took care of his troubles. The noblewoman made sure that any sadness _stayed_ away as she, Alistair, Wynne and Leliana spent time with his mother and sister through stories and songs by the fire. He smiled at the sight and sent silent thanks their way, grateful that they’d have something to preoccupy themselves while he took the chance to test Zevran.

So, deciding that the moment had arrived, he stood up from his spot by Dahlia’s side.

“Right then,” Alder said with an easy smile. “If you’ll excuse me, I have some last-minute business to take care of.”

Iris raised an eyebrow in question. “Business? At this time of night?”

“Oh yes. And important business at that, dear.” Dahlia smiled knowingly as she ignored Iris’ questioning stare and turned to Alder. “Remember not to take too long, son. And do be careful.”

“I will,” Alder said as he separated from the group with a wave, intending to see out the Antivan Crow.

It didn’t take him long to find him though as the assassin exited his tent, likely to join the others in relaxing and winding down for the evening. Thankfully, Alder caught him before Zevran dressed down from his armor for the night, so it would make what he planned more seamless.

“Zevran,” Alder called his attention as he approached.

The assassin stopped then turned to Alder with curiosity. The Seeker’s tone showed civility, deliberately making it different from previous encounters in hopes of Zevran understanding that he was making a genuine attempt at talking. At least the lack of immediate retaliation meant he was taking him seriously.

“We need to talk. Alone.”

For a second, Alder wondered if he would quip or make a sex joke about a tussle in the bushes, but Zevran surprised him by paying the same courtesy.

“As you wish,” Zevran said as he gestured for Alder to lead the way.

Conveniently, the night’s chosen campsite was close to another smaller clearing that Alder took note of as he scouted the area as it suited his purposes perfectly. He silently led Zevran to the selected spot, walking ahead of the man in a casual but purposeful pace. He opted not to speak as he tried to prepare the right words to explain the test and its purpose. He even considered taking a cue from Iris with her flair for the dramatic, but as they arrived, Alder gave up on the idea and decided to make it up as he went along. If he would do this, it might as well be with sincerity in the moment.

When they were in the center of the clearing, he took a few more steps to place distance between them before turning to face the assassin.

Zevran met his gaze with confidence and a relaxed stance. Alder supposed that meant that the assassin had an idea for why they were here so he might as well get it done already.

So, wasting no more time, Alder breathed then took the plunge.

“Look, we haven’t started on the _best_ terms and I know that’s stating it mildly…” Zevran smiled wryly but Alder chose to ignore it and the accompanying pang of annoyance and continued speaking. “But I’d like to make amends by giving you a fair shot as Hawkeye’s guard.” In hindsight, he should’ve done it sooner really, but too late to turn back now. “Unfortunately, I can’t do the usual way of understanding you when we have so little time left, so I’ll need to do this in a way that I can be reassured.”

Zevran crossed his arms and canted his head slightly, showing his curiosity. “You have my attention.”

Alder met his gaze with confidence and no hesitation.

“Fight me.”

Zevran only responded with a smile, as if expecting the form the test would take.

Alder wouldn’t be surprised if he already knew when they stepped into the clearing. After all, it was a straightforward and obvious method but an effective one as there would be no better way of understanding another warrior than fighting against him. It also served as a good way for Alder to see the man’s skill firsthand. If Zevran could hold his own against a Seeker of his caliber, Alder could trust that he could handle most opponents – even the more dangerous ones.

Alder smiled in challenge as he offered a suggestion that might further entice the Antivan to the fight. “You might call it a duel for your honor as a Crow, if it makes you feel any better.”

Zevran chuckled in amusement, but he seemed intrigued. “A duel, is it? I have seen many nobles engage in such contests but haven’t had the pleasure to partake in one myself. You offer me a unique chance, my friend.”

“Good. Might be the only chance we get at all, so would rather not waste any time.” He smoothly removed two pairs of sticks from where he attached them on the strap across his back. He threw a pair towards Zevran and the assassin caught them with ease. Alder then took one stick in each hand and swung to test their weight before falling back into an easy stance, ready for battle.

“Now…show me you can protect her.”

Zevran gave him a confident smile and mirrored his actions before falling into a battle stance of his own. “After you.”

Alder smirked. “You’ll regret that.”

The duel started with Alder on the attack, the sound of movement and the clash of sticks. What movements came after were a blur of attacks, parries, counters and blocks as the pair met each other blow for blow. It was far from Alder’s first encounter with a rogue – it wasn’t even his first encounter with a Antivan Crow, given his affiliation with Whisper – but the Seeker had to acknowledge that, even by Crow standards, Zevran was wickedly _fast_ and quite agile. There were a few times that he thought that he would land a blow on the other man but would only be met with an empty space and the instinct to parry from another direction.

He hated to admit it, but he was good. _Very_ good.

However, with how Zevran was countering and attacking aggressively, he wondered if the assassin could keep up the pace for too long as it would surely wear out his stamina. Between them, Alder knew he was stronger based on a few moments of overpowering Zevran when brute force was required, and he could endure the fight for longer.

As if on cue, the assassin somehow sped up, likely intending to end the fight as soon as possible. Alder defended as best as he could, but he knew a few hits made contact. He growled in annoyance and countered a blow enough to disarm Zevran, sending a stick flying out of his hand and landing somewhere behind him.

Their eyes met and both panted heavily from the exertion. Then, Alder smiled.

“We’ll end it here. I’ve seen what I need to see,” Alder said when he could breathe easier and slowly lowered the wooden weapon. Zevran did the same and stepped away from the Seeker.

Alder’s eyes subtly checked over each of them, assessing where the hits landed. As it wasn’t a serious fight, neither man targeted the head. Due to Zevran’s agility and near relentless attacks, Alder was mostly on the defensive, but got a few hits in on the Crow’s torso and arms. They _might_ leave a mark in the morning, but it wasn’t anything healing magic couldn’t fix. Zevran’s hits though were impressive. His training showed as he didn’t simply attack the biggest target but tried for precise points on the body and succeeded it. Alder noted he hit the back of the thigh, back of the foot, back of the knee and two points on his wrists – all areas to disarm and render him useless if it were a real blade. A lesser man would think he held back, but Alder knew it better. Contrary to what stage plays and bard songs portrayed, men didn’t die instantly with a single blow. A warrior’s body had much more fight before its last breath and anyone trained or desperate would take any enemies they could down with them into the Void. But with what he showed, Zevran’s priority was rendering the opponent helpless as quickly as possible so he could take care of Iris.

Alder sighed as he reached his conclusion. He wanted to test Zevran and see if he was a good guard, and the bloody Crow passed with flying colors.

“Still don’t know if I like you,” Alder spoke again from where he stood, a hint of bitterness showing. He crossed his arms and huffed out a breath in resignation. “But I do respect your skill.”

Zevran chuckled. “And here I thought my charms and our dance tonight won you over.” He gave Alder a teasing smile. “You are a _very_ difficult man to please.”

Alder scoffed in turn. Only Zevran would still have the energy and boldness for a sex joke after a fight.

For the next few moments, he stood to just watch the assassin in scrutiny and consideration.

Zevran Arainai was an Anitvan Crow and now, whether Alder like it or not, Iris’ hired guard. He obviously had ulterior motives with the flirting that still annoyed him to no end…but with this test and what he saw himself, he had to admit that the elf could do the job and that’s what was most important. He didn’t know if he could fully trust him as he’d need to see if Clematis’ additional checks and full investigation on the man from within Antiva bore any results once they reached Denerim, but for now…he accepted Zevran in his role.

“I suppose I’ll be leaving her to you then,” Alder said as he tried to relax, even when the feeling of not wanting to let go clawed at him.

But he needed to. He knew he did.

To solidify the push to let go, Alder resolved to give Zevran one last tip on dealing with Iris. He expected that the Seer wouldn’t appreciate this particular sharing but with how much she got into trouble, Zevran would need to be aware of what he would face.

“Just know…as her protector, there is one important thing to understand about Hawkeye,” he said slowly, watching Zevran to assure that he heard him and took in every word. “She may act like she’s strong, but there are moments when she’ll be vulnerable.” He recalled the first time she used her abilities. The first time she went out. The first time she saw the future. “Many of those moments will come unexpectedly or result from her acting on her own.” His tone turned firm. “You _need_ to cover her during those times. If you do right by her, she’ll do right by you.”

Zevran stared at him for a few moments before he returned to his relaxed stance and spoke. “I assure you, my friend,” His tone showed that he saw the significance in Alder’s words. “I have sworn an oath to protect her and protect her I shall.”

For the first time in several days, Alder finally found himself relaxing in the presence of the Crow and an unexpected weight was gradually lifted form his shoulders. They walked back to camp more bruised than when they left it, and though Iris was a little upset upon their return and lightly berated them as Wynne healed, he only smiled at her in turn.

As Alder saw it, a duel in the dark was well worth the price for a peace of mind.

* * *

The next morning saw a continuation of the peace in the camp, with the only ones bickering on occasion were Morrigan and Alistair. The improvement in the interactions even grew into a few trade conversations about techniques and weaponry, and jokes between Zevran and Alder that _didn’t_ result in them arguing. It didn’t make them the best of friends, but it was _significantly_ better than where they started that Alder gave himself credit as they got there eventually.

So now, with a simpler issue settled, Alder made sure that he would take care of the other matter of Iris. Thankfully, the opportunity to talk fell before him easily as they had their final morning watch and training session together.

He met her outside her tent as usual and greeted her with a smile. She returned it with one of her own, but her eyes showed the tiredness and discomfort even when her demeanor tried to be no different. Out of respect, he didn’t dare comment on what he saw…though it did worry him.

“It isn’t too late to change your mind,” Alder said gently as they walked, circling the camp in their first round of patrols.

Iris looked at him, unease replaced with resolve. “You know I can’t.”

“I know. Though did wonder if you’d take the offer with how you’re feeling.”

Iris faltered for a moment, undoubtedly thinking of how to proceed. Then she sighed and Alder watched her guard come down with the words that followed. “If it were up to me, I _would_ go with you. They don’t necessarily _need_ me, and I know that they’d be able to handle themselves but…” Her fist clenched. “To attain the best outcome for Thedas, I _must_ go with them.”

Alder sighed and accepted that her answer was final. At least he wouldn’t have any regrets of giving it one last try, but it appeared there was no other way.

He gave her a small smile. “Alright. Have it your way then. But remember, we’re only a message away. Just—”

“Find the informers in town, give them a message in the standard code, and they’ll handle the rest,” Iris said with a smile in her eyes. “I know, Alder. Don’t worry.”

“Good,” Alder said with a warm smile.

For a few moments, they walked in a peaceful silence and finished their initial patrol loop. As they stretched and prepared for the last run through of the weapons training, Alder took the chance to broach the target topic of the morning. “Before we leave, I do need to know. About you and the Crow…”

She tensed and frowned at Alder. “I’m sorry but I think you’re mistaken – there isn’t a ‘me and the Crow’.”

“But you feel for him,” he pointed out.

“It’s a momentary attraction,” she responded quickly but with firmness.

Though he was sure that feelings wouldn’t run that deep so soon, his instinct made him question if that insistence was more for him or for herself.

“Is it now?” he asked, risking a teasing tone.

Iris turned to face him fully. “What are you getting at, Alder?”

He showed his hands to show he meant no harm. “I only want to know what you plan to do so that I might respect your decision.”

Iris eyed him dubiously, as if assessing his intent, and Alder stood calmly as she did so. After a few moments, she relented and responded with a softer tone. “There is no plan. I’m not acting on it.” She crossed her arms, but it looked more an attempt at comfort and defense. “I _can’t_ act on it.”

Alder placed a hand on her shoulder and patted it once in reassurance. “Alright, alright. I won’t push or pry.” He gave her a comforting smile. “But only know that, whether that changes or stays the same, Dahlia and I will stand by you. And I trust you’ll know what’s best for you, little mage.”

Iris let out a breath to calm herself and he noticed her gradually relax. “You know I will. And I’ll remember that, thank you.”

The rest of the morning proceeded as any other with training and running, followed by breakfast, and packing up camp before they were to leave again. It went by faster than Alder would like, even with the small incident of Dog stealing Morrigan’s breakfast and Zevran talking about Wynne’s bosom for whatever reason. At one point, he also noted Iris and Dahlia going away from camp, likely for one last talk. He would’ve liked to be included, but he supposed that Iris needed alone time with their mother as well.

The distance between their location and destination disappeared little by little, until at last, they reached the junction between Denerim and the safest path to the Brecilian Forest. Alder assisted as they unloaded their items from the wagon, smiling at the comments of missing travelling in comfort. Dahlia gave them a few snacks as a surprise and how she made them without anyone noticing was anyone’s guess.

“It should be another 4 days until you reach the last known location of the Dalish camp,” Alder explained as he handed Elissa a map with the directions marked. He was glad that Bella had the information handy before they left Redcliffe, so it made their trip easier. But as an additional precaution, he also passed on the information to Iris earlier, so even if they would lose the map, she would be able to navigate. “It should be safe on the path if you don’t count the odd beast every once in a while.”

“I’m sure we can handle ourselves,” Elissa said with a smile. Then she reached out her hand in a handshake. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for us. I won’t forget this. And I do hope we meet again one day.”

Alder returned the handshake as Dahlia smiled from beside him. “It was a pleasure to meet all of you. Do take care and have a safe journey.”

As their hands broke away, Alder finally turned to Iris. His gaze softened at her obvious discomfort. He almost wanted to ask if she _really_ wanted to go, but…he knew she wouldn’t change her mind, so he could only support her decision.

“So,” Alder said, trying to keep his tone in its usual state and failing. Changing tactics, he forced a smile instead. “This is it.”

Iris looked at him with conflict and sadness in her eyes then looked away quickly. “…this is harder than I expected it to be.”

He gave her a genuine fond smile. “We’ve grown on you that much, haven’t we?”

“Yes,” she responded softly with no hesitation. “Yes, you have.”

Dahlia smiled at her and held her hands in comfort. “This isn’t goodbye, you know.”

“I know,” Iris said quietly, squeezing the old woman’s hands. “…but it’s still difficult.”

Then Dahlia gently brought Iris closer and encased her in a hug. Iris’ eyes widened, but she quickly recovered from her stupor to return it. “We’ll see each other again. Don’t you worry.” Dahlia’s voice dropped to a volume that only Iris and Alder’s enhanced hearing could hear. “Do stay safe. And take care of yourself, Iris dear.”

Iris reluctantly pulled away and Dahlia stepped back to climb into the wagon. Alder took the chance to gently pat her on the head with a smile. “See you soon, little mage.”

“I’ll see you soon.”

Alder stepped away to move back to the wagon, but glanced back to Zevran before he climbed in. Their gazes met.

“Take care of her.”

Zevran nodded and smiled. “I will give my all, my friend.”

That was the best he could hope for.

He moved quickly and hopped into the driver’s seat. As he took the reins, he took one last look at the group. Elissa gave a small wave of goodbye with Dog barking beside her. Morrigan rolled her eyes at everyone’s sentiment while Leliana frowned as she said something to the Witch. Wynne placed a hand on Alistair’s shoulder in comfort as the Templar appeared to be sniffling while Sten stayed impassive as always. Zevran stood beside Iris as she met Alder’s gaze steadily.

He gave her one last smile and she responded with a nod.

With a snap of the reins and an urge for the horses to move, the wagon slowly continued forward, and they were on the road again. He kept his gaze frontward and forced himself not to look back or he feared he might turn the wagon around again. His hand lifted and wiped away the sudden wetness on his cheek and he cleared his throat to compose himself. He wondered if it would rain or something. Yes, that was it.

“She’ll be fine.”

“I know,” he said. But did he really?

“We’ll see her again,” she said gently.

He hesitated as his grip tightened on the reins. “…I know.”

“So, we’d best take care of business and stay alive until then, son.”

He took in a slow breath and exhaled. “I know…and we will.”


	17. Chapter 17

_“And so comes the time to find comfort in being alone again.”_

_“Distance yourself to see things more clearly_. _”_

According to the information Alder gave them, the group had four days of walking through the forest before they would reach the Dalish camp. Four days – now reduced to two – of trekking through wilderness with foliage that only grew denser the deeper they went and increasing chances of getting attacked by wild beasts and darkspawn with each step.

As the road safety was no longer maintained by soldiers and the odd mercenary company, they saw an increase in daily battles since they deviated from the Imperial Highway. Thankfully, the first few fights were only against beasts, so Elissa saw it as a chance to ease them into the new set-up with a front group and reserve and actively test the use of telepathic communication for callouts and commands.

The battles were rough at first, but the days of communication practice on the wagon seemed to pay off when their messages grew more frequent, and attacks and movement streamlined more with each battle. Though there were still a few hiccups in the panic thoughts and curses that unnecessarily pushed through, she knew that would fade with time and with more control. For her part, Hawkeye scouted from nearby vantage points and served as a relay for information between party members or an emergency point to call the reserve through Zevran if needed. And save for the odd positioning error where Zevran needed to step between her and a giant spider, she thought she did her job rather well.

At times when she watched them fight through her Eye, she couldn’t help but smile underneath the mask as she was reminded of Dragon Age: Origins. The view over the shoulder, providing positioning information and recommendations that they followed but adjusted when the enemy fell, and moments where she would call attention to an “off-screen” enemy that only she could see – it was all familiar. It only lacked the HUD for the player experience to be close to what she remembered.

However, despite the familiarity, real battles were more complicated than the game’s interface and programming portrayed. The fighting was faster, the enemies were smarter, and a life could end in a matter of moments. She kept up with the enemies in Redcliffe when they were slower undead that took direction from a single commander, but feral beasts and werewolves that thought for themselves, and untouchable darkspawn hordes were different stories.

Thankfully, she had help from Dahlia in that aspect. She smiled as she recalled the “parting gift” from her mother and the moment she received it.

Iris pulled Dahlia aside the morning of their parting with the expressed intent of having an important conversation about certain future events. The Whisper leader agreed, and they moved away from camp for privacy. After confirming that they were alone through her Eyes scouting the area while Dahlia waited patiently, the eyes switched back from silver as Iris powered down and looked at the old woman with a serious expression.

“Here,” Iris said, handing her a folded piece of paper from her pack.

Dahlia took it without hesitation, unfolded it and studied the contents. As she read further down the page, her gentle gaze turned cunning and her lips curled into a pleased smile. Iris could practically see the gears turning in Dahlia’s mind at the information she provided and could only wonder what kind of plans her mother would concoct with her gift.

“I see…” Dahlia said pensively when she finished and folded the note again. Her gaze returned to the familiar softness as she looked at Iris with gratitude. “This is a very thoughtful gift, dear, thank you. We’ll be sure to use that well. So now…” She smiled at Iris gently as she handed it back. “Would you be so kind and burn this for me? We won’t be needing that old thing anymore.”

“Of course,” Iris said easily, returning the smile through the eyes as she held the note in a hand. It only took one short moment of concentration to produce a small fire in the open palm, and another moment for it to engulf the paper in its flames, reducing it to ashes.

“Thank you,” Dahlia said pleasantly as she reached out to take a hand. “And you know, it just so happens that I have a something for you too.”

“Oh?”

‘Use your ability,’ Dahlia’s voice rang through her mind. ‘Pull my knowledge on combat strategy.’

The eyes widened in surprise. ‘Are you certain?’

Dahlia smiled at her fondly and put another hand over the hand she already held. ‘Consider it a parting gift from a concerned mother. You won’t have _all_ my tricks, but we wouldn’t want you defenseless now.’

Iris blinked to regain her bearings and fought back the emotions that threatened to overwhelm. She would have time for sentimentality later. Instead, she concentrated on Dahlia’s hands and felt the power start to activate.

‘Alright.’

A power surged forth. Tactics to begin flanking. Optimizing high ground advantages. Choosing and utilizing different types of terrain. Negating low ground disadvantages. Positions and directions everyone should be looking at when breaching a room. Strategies and knowledge for fighting in narrow alleyways to small group formations to mobilizing groups in a larger scale operation—

As she felt the information finding their place in her mind, she smiled underneath the mask with genuine glee. This was _exactly_ what she needed, and it greatly compensated for her weakness. She looked at Dahlia for a moment and took in the sight of the old woman, committing it to memory. Though she didn’t know if this was an act of genuine care or if it was a way to make Iris more in debt to her, Iris couldn’t bring herself to care. All that mattered at that moment was that she had what she needed. The emotions and sentimentality returned but she allowed herself to feel them this time as she squeezed Dahlia’s hands.

‘I won’t forget this,’ she said gratefully, the voice showcasing her vulnerability. ‘Thank you.’

‘You’re very welcome, Iris dear.’

The gift proved to be an invaluable asset and allowed her to keep up with the flow of battle the more she watched, but it was especially useful when they started to fight against darkspawn.

At the insistence of the group for practicality, concern, or assurance she wouldn’t be a nuisance, depending on who was asked, Hawkeye stayed further away from the fighting but maintained the information feed from the farther vantage point. She initially wanted to argue as it wasn’t her first encounter with the creatures of darkness and disease but then acquiesced as it gave her more leeway to use her other abilities and act without fear of discovery.

For this time, she observed them fight with their varied styles and practiced following along the movements, the knowledge coming in handy to see what strategies they already employed and which gaps were missed that Hawkeye could fill. She noted with mild amusement that they changed tactics when they fought darkspawn, opting to use long range or mid-range attacks, and favoring defense and evasion to ensure they avoided contracting the blight disease through a hit or blood spray. In turn, she also adjusted her callouts to give more warnings when they got too close or pointed out if there was a darkspawn wound to watch for if they missed it from their view.

‘Sten, left,’ she calmly sent through the connection to its intended recipient. The Qunari immediately whirled towards the mentioned direction and his Asala collided with the Hurlock’s skull with a sickening crack before it could get within its striking range.

Silver eyes met his gaze from where she perched in a tree. From her Eye, she saw him nod in thanks. She responded with a nod in turn before he resumed the fight and charged the last Hurlock that targeted Wynne as she healed Elissa. Hawkeye caught Elissa’s passing gaze and the Warden also gave her an approving smile.

All in all, it seemed that preliminary trials with her combat support efforts seemed to be working well with the team’s dynamic. They only needed to maintain it and see where they could improve for future battles.

Hopefully, the rest of her efforts would go the same way…

Hawkeye sighed as she thought of what was ahead of her again and climbed higher up the tall tree with ease. As she pulled herself up by one sturdy branch at a time, she wondered why she put herself in this situation of striving to improve Thedas the hard way. Alder was right, in a way – she _could’ve_ given her predictions and gone on with her life in the world, but that would’ve left too many variables out of her control. Not to mention that she knew the method was necessary for her own development.

She sighed again as she heaved herself onto a thick branch and perched on it in a crouch. No use in looking back to what you can’t change. It wasn’t like she had a choice in the matter now anyway.

As she looked at the scene beyond from a satisfactory height, she made a show of scouting the area while switching to the view of the Eye with her companions to quickly check on them.

Zevran, unsurprisingly, stood in an adjacent tree and kept an eye out for anything around her. Sten hovered at the edge of the group and cleaned his Asala of any darkspawn ichor that remained. Morrigan shapeshifted from bear form to her human form and frowned as Dog ran up to her and barked a greeting. Further in the back, Alistair had a joking smile on his face as he spoke to Leliana who laughed in turn. Elissa wore a serious expression as she helped Wynne from her spot on the ground. The two appeared to exchange a few words before the healer left, leaving Elissa worried, confused, and curious.

Hawkeye smiled at the sight. If that meant what she thought it did, then matters were proceeding smoother than she hoped. She was glad Elissa didn’t seem to need much prodding from her part to get close to the right individuals at the right moment. Though if she thought about it, it _did_ make sense to get close to Wynne as she was a Senior Enchanter from the Circle of Mages who loved to share her wisdom and it was a rare chance for Elissa to become acquainted with someone so isolated.

Things were falling into place better for their destination.

She willed her vision to change to another one of the Eyes she sent ahead, and the scene before her switched from her companions to a deceivingly tranquil woodland. The Eye weaved through the trees and over the forest floor, passing an occasional halla that didn’t startle as the magical orb came close. She couldn’t find any other darkspawn energy markers in the immediate vicinity and their battle scared away other creatures, so it appeared they earned themselves a temporary break.

‘Area seems to be clear for now,’ she said, reporting to Elissa directly. ‘No signs of other creatures so it should be safe to stay for the night.’ A smile carried with the tone of next sentence. ‘I’m also happy to report that there’s a stream to the northwest for us to clean up.’

The Warden’s laugh sounded through the connection. ‘Thank the Maker, that’s the best news you’ve given all day,’ Elissa said, echoing the smile in the mental voice. ‘We’ll make camp near there then. Good work.’

‘Thank you, lady Warden. I’ll be down soon.’

* * *

Night fell for an uneasy peace in the magical forest and they pitched camp near the stream Hawkeye found. As the others set-up the site, she and Zevran went ahead to clean themselves at the cool stream with the assassin a safe distance away for her privacy and an Eye out to ensure no one was nearby to see her. When they returned, the tents were up, the fire roared and she bid the others to wash while they made dinner. Wynne elected to stay and rest, expressing tiredness and she would wash the next morning. On the other hand, Elissa happily left with the rest of the group, but ordered Dog to remain with them for additional protection.

For a while, Hawkeye found serenity in the crackling of the fire and the rhythmic tapping of a knife on a cutting board by Zevran’s hand. A few sausages sizzled nicely in the pot as she followed the mental instructions from Dahlia tucked away in her mind. Dog panted as he watched and sat by Wynne’s feet from her spot by the campfire.

It was a welcome moment of quiet and peace…

…and the perfect time to catch someone off-guard.

“How are you feeling, Wynne?” Hawkeye asked, in a rare show of initiating the conversation.

Wynne looked at the Seer in surprise but answered with a pleasant smile. “Oh, I’m alright. Only tired from a long day.”

“Is that really all?” Hawkeye said coyly. Eyes narrowed in scrutiny and showed her cunning. “You should know there isn’t any use hiding it from me.”

Wynne tensed but only for a moment. Dog looked between them both and whined in worry. Wynne beckoned him close and he complied, earning a few pets in reassurance. In the background, Hawkeye noted that Zevran’s rhythmic tapping grew quieter with the time that passed. Was the cheeky Crow curious for what was going on as well?

“Elissa said you were a Seer,” Wynne said as she scratched behind Dog’s ears before looking back at Hawkeye from where she stirred the stew. “But forgive me, if I’ve been quite skeptical.”

Hawkeye chuckled. “It’s understandable.”

“Seeing as you’ve broached the subject, I assume you know about—”

“Your condition?” Hawkeye cut in. “Yes.”

“I see.” Wynne’s face wore a peaceful expression.

A board of other ingredients came into view and a knife deftly slid them into the waiting pot. She turned to Zevran and caught the question in his eyes but gave him a small shake of the head as she added the cooking liquid. As much as she _could_ tell him to improve rapport, he shouldn’t receive special treatment even with the…circumstances. After all, she shouldn’t say anything before Wynne and Elissa spoke. The group will find out in due time anyway.

The eyes softened in turn. “I suppose you aren’t curious about your future then, considering you’ve made your peace?”

A fact shown in the game but supported with Hawkeye finding secret moments of Wynne in silent reflection, expression sad but peaceful. It was almost admirable for how strong she was while being aware that her end could come at any moment.

“Oh, I _am_ curious,” Wynne said pleasantly. “It’s quite tempting to ask how or why or other details, perhaps also find a way to prolong my life…but it wouldn’t help me, now would it?”

“No, it wouldn’t,” Hawkeye answered as she seasoned the stew with a few dried herbs and stirred.

Wynne smiled knowingly. “And I suspect that you wouldn’t provide answers even if I asked.”

Hawkeye smiled in the eyes, happy for the awareness and wisdom. It made things _so_ much easier.

“For this matter…no, I can’t. You have an important role to play, after all.” She recalled the White Spire and her higher purpose with Evangeline. Though she had her own plans for those events, it didn’t hurt to have a failsafe. The voice's tone turned knowing as she continued. “If I would give you anything, it would only be reassurance. The others will have a range of predictable reactions but do know I won’t treat you differently.”

“That’s surprising but not unwelcome,” Wynne said. “Even from you, I sincerely thought there would be more talk of death.”

Hawkeye chuckled in response. “You’ll have more than enough of that – I wouldn’t like to add to it.” Eyes slid to glance back at Zevran before checking on the stew. “Though if anything, I will say I feel a sense of empathy.”

“Empathy?” Wynne asked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

“I mean empathy. That's all.”

Hawkeye gave no more. It was a tease of the truth in a show of her mystery. Perhaps it would become detrimental down the line, given her hinting at something so important, but for now, it served its purpose: it made them curious. Curiosity led to a foundation that she could work with…

…even when she wouldn’t give them what they wanted.

“But let’s leave it at that, shall we?” Hawkeye said amicably as she stirred the stew one more time, happy with the consistency. “Supper’s ready and they should be back soon.”

True to her word, the other half of the group returned, and the night proceeded as normal with a warm campfire stew and the occasional banter. Hawkeye kept to herself during the meal and chose to eat in a far-off tree with the Eye watching over everyone, ensuring her privacy while the mask was lowered.

As she ate and watched, her mind wandered and plans formed. Though the main quest would be far scarier in execution, it was easier to deal in planning since she had an idea of what would happen. She only needed to be ready for any unexpected changes her own actions may cause, but overall, she only grew in preparedness as more things fell into place.

This meant that the more pressing matter was progressing her relationships with key members of group so she could ensure they would act according to how she needed down the line. However, the last two weeks showed that it would move slowly or not at all if she didn’t help it along. It made sense as relationships would take the effort of both sides to progress, but she mentally groaned at the amount of effort it would take.

Where was the dialogue tree and walkthrough when she needed it? Or the character affection meters like in dating simulation games? Even with a lack of save states or do-overs, it still would’ve made this _much_ easier. But sadly, there wasn’t a convenient _isekai_ game interface. It was real life and she _had_ to deal with relationships the old-fashioned way.

And even when she had a good idea of what she could say to earn their favor, she couldn't use it as it was. She wasn’t the Warden who had the leverage of a capable leader. She couldn’t recite anything straight from the game without the risk of taking what moments should’ve been Elissa’s. And she couldn’t use her knowledge in a manner too aggressive or threatening and turn their view into fear or hostility.

Her only option would be to _create_ her own moments. Through her observations, she knew she had a unique foundation to work on with each of them: Some like Sten, Elissa and Leliana were already positive and more stable through initial impressions and time through their journey. Others would be more of a challenge as Alistair was wary of her as a Seer and mage while Morrigan kept everyone distant. Wynne’s was created in the opportunity earlier so she no longer needed to worry, while Zevran was…

She willfully ignored whatever emotions threatened to distract as she ate the last bite of her meal and returned the mask to its place.

‘I assume there will be no explanation for that exchange, my dear Seer?’

Hawkeye smiled at the coincidental timing as she deftly packed away the mess kit for washing later.

She wondered if he’d reach out.

‘If there would be one, I would’ve told you by now.’

A series of tuts sounded through the connection before he continued in the familiar playful tone.

‘Such a cruel manner of teasing. And here I thought there was compassion under your layers of secrecy.’

‘I’ll neither confirm nor deny that.’ In a fluid motion, she jumped out of the tree, landed in a roll, and moved to casually walk to the campfire. ‘And the last time I checked, Zevran, you’re not one with exclusivity on teasing. Though for this case, I consider it more as… _bait_ to see if you’d bite.’

She knew this was little more than petty revenge for the fiasco in the tree and should’ve known better than to bait him. But as it had no bearing on her relationship with Wynne and the opportunity with minimal consequences was there, she took it with no regrets. She could only blame her pride if it somehow backfired, but the worst thing he could get was the last laugh and additional rapport.

She could live with that.

A low rumbling chuckle rang through and sent chills up the spine as it echoed in her mind. Hawkeye forced herself not to start and took a subtle calming breath as she sat down by the fire with her back against a nearby tree, ready for the first watch. She heard no footsteps but was _very_ aware of his presence behind her from her aura encasing him.

It was tempting to catch him off-guard by looking at him…but instead, she chose to not acknowledge the assassin as he passed.

“You should know it is not wise to tempt a Crow,” Zevran said softly with a hint of danger in the undertone. “In Antiva, we are known to make the most of opportunities…” He leaned in closer. “And I, for one, would like nothing more than a chance to bite.”

She inclined the head and met his gaze, faces a few inches apart. The light of the fire danced across his skin, highlighting the tattoos on this face and his sly smirk as he stood beside the tree…

But she stayed outwardly impassive as the heart thudded away in the chest.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Hawkeye said with amusement, forcing composure as she turned back to the fire and waving him off to do his solo patrol around the site.

His smirk stayed as he gave her a mock bow then easily disappeared into the shadow of the tree line.

An uneasy peace fell again with the sound of nature in the background and time that slowly ticked away. Hawkeye reveled in the relative quiet as she casually detached two Eyes and sent one over the camp while the other stayed with Zevran. On any other day, she would’ve gone with the assassin and perhaps enjoyed the feeling of traversing obstacles again or testing if he could follow her while invisible, but given today’s events, she needed to be nearby.

Vision switched to the Eye over the camp, turning the world bright as she took in all the details. The aura around Zevran started his loop as he took a leisurely stroll around the camp and twirled a dagger. A cheery Leliana conversed and gestured to the clothes of a scowling Morrigan as they walked towards the tents. Sten knelt before Dog and seemed to be talking to the mabari when he turned and frowned at Alistair as he approached the pair. Elissa escorted Wynne to her tent and placed a hand on her shoulder while giving a reassuring smile. Wynne returned the smile with a gentle one of her own and said what looked like “thank you” before entering her tent.

Elissa lingered outside the Senior Enchanter’s space for a few moments, watching as if waiting for any signs that she needed help. When none came, the Warden took a breath to calm herself then scanned the camp. Her eyes stopped once she reached the campfire and body pivoted to face the same direction, clearly intending to approach Hawkeye.

Vision swapped back to the body, blinking to adjust to the darkness once again…

…and just in time to see the Warden arrive beside her.

“Hawkeye,” Elissa said with a friendly smile.

“Lady Warden,” Hawkeye said as she inclined the head to her direction. “To what do I owe the honor?”

“I don’t mean to intrude on your rest. May I?” She gestured to the spot beside the Seer and Hawkeye nodded for the Warden to sit.

“I’ve spoken to Wynne,” Elissa said as she sat down, adjusting her tabard’s placement as she did so.

Hawkeye didn’t hide the smile in the eyes with the chosen conversation opening. “Have you now?”

“She mentioned her…condition. And that you know of it.”

“I do.”

“Then you know about Aneirin.”

The smile under the mask widened. “Yes.”

“Will we find him?”

“Yes,” Hawkeye said easily. Eyes showed sweetness with an undertone of cunning. “I’ll make sure of it.”

Elissa gave her a friendly smile. “That simplifies matters then, thank you.”

Hawkeye chuckled. “You can thank me _when_ we find him. At the moment, the future is still uncertain.”

“But knowing that you’re working to _make_ it certain is reassuring in itself.”

“See it how you will then,” Hawkeye said with a shrug. “Is that all?”

“Not quite. I also wanted to know how you’ve been for the last few days,” Elissa continued. “I understand it’s your first time away from your family, so I hope you’re not finding it difficult.”

Hawkeye scoffed underneath the mask. Although she knew it was out of concern, she hoped it didn’t mean that she had _another_ person mothering her like Alder. Firsts didn’t mean she was a _child_.

“Did Dahlia tell you that?” Hawkeye asked dryly. “Or was it Alder?”

“Neither did. Their worry spoke for them.”

The eyes narrowed in scrutiny. It seemed the Warden was more perceptive than she gave her credit for. Alder and Dahlia were careful to keep their camp basics lessons a secret and Alder’s efforts could’ve been attributed to an overprotective demeanor, so she wondered what gave it away… Perhaps it was her own actions? She would need to correct that. But then again, Elissa wouldn’t be able to succeed in the missions ahead if she couldn’t read people to an extent, so it was a strength more than a danger.

Now…how should she proceed?

“I see…” Hawkeye said slowly as she crossed the arms in contemplation before deciding on her line of conversation. “Well, I assure you – I’m fine and will continue to be so.” A hand waved to emphasize her point. “Many of these experiences may be new but I will compensate for my inexperience and ensure I don’t slow our progress.”

Elissa’s smile turned sheepish. “I certainly hope neither my language nor our allies showed that you would.”

“You didn’t.” The eyes smiled as she looked at the fire, faking vulnerability through a soft gaze. “But I suppose that was to reassure myself in this case.”

A half-truth chosen and spoken wasn’t technically a lie. In this case, she _did_ think she might slow the progress if she wasn’t careful, but it wasn’t a worry that made her insecure to that extent. Elissa didn’t need to know that – she only needed to believe they were becoming closer.

“I wouldn’t worry. You fit with the group rather well. Much like the rest, you’re capable though in different ways.” Elissa grinned mischievously. “After all, I don’t think we’d be able to stomach Alistair or Morrigan’s cooking any longer after what Dahlia showed.”

Hawkeye huffed a laugh. “Oh, I don’t know. Wouldn’t charging into battle with a stomachache be quite the challenge?”

“Perish the thought!” Elissa said. “That’s a death wish, not a challenge.”

“Well, we can’t have that now,” Hawkeye teased.

Elissa laughed and the conversation continued. Throughout their talks, Hawkeye subtly observed the Warden and noted how she tried to fish for information on the Seer through their topics – where she learned her skills, likes and dislikes, family, or other inane subjects. While she recognized that it was only natural to be curious, she couldn’t allow her to know more. So, for her part, Hawkeye carefully steered the conversation in a way that built rapport while giving little away. She made a more conscious effort to ensure she couldn’t be read through the eyes but added easy, casual movements and a few jokes through their talk to put the Warden at ease.

With the conversation flow and duration, it seemed she was successful.

“Have you always been in Redcliffe?” Elissa asked pleasantly as she broached another topic.

Hawkeye bit back the smile through the eyes and under the mask. If she didn’t know better, that sounded like a dialogue tree choice when the Warden spoke with the companion NPCs. Though Hawkeye was _technically_ a companion now, she knew better than to indulge in any silliness of answering like an NPC and risk confusing the Warden for her amusement of an inside joke.

“No, but it’s where I’m most familiar with,” Hawkeye said, careful with her words. Her gaze slid back to Elissa as she deliberately shifted the line of conversation to a risky topic. “Though I would like to go to Highever someday. I’ve heard that it’s a beautiful place.”

Elissa was caught off-guard and it showed as the smile turned soft and sad. “It…It _is_. The Couslands have always managed the land fairly and ensure the people’s happiness. The people then take care of the land in turn. It was— _is_ our pride.” Her gaze looked somewhere beyond the fire, as she continued to speak wistfully. “If you asked father or mother, they would say that the sight of the citizens’ smiles was their favorite. Mine was the view from the castle as I could always see the sea from my window. It’s best during the warmer months when I could travel to the coast and enjoy the sun and breeze.”

Hawkeye looked at her with a sympathetic but soft gaze. “That sounds lovely.”

Elissa stayed silent for a moment as she lost herself to her memories as Hawkeye watched. It was fascinating to see the sadness turn into vulnerability then morph into anger before settling into a tired but hopeful smile as she looked back to the Seer.

“Once this is over and I reclaim my family's rightful place,” Elissa said softly but with an underlying determination. Then she offered a friendly smile. “We should have a grand feast. All of us. And you shall be my guests at Castle Cousland.”

Hawkeye chuckled lightly. That scenario was unlikely but maybe a feast at the Royal Palace would be the next best thing with how the relationship between Elissa and Alistair was proceeding.

“It would be my honor, lady Warden.”

The conversation reached its natural conclusion when Elissa’s physical tiredness caught up with her and her yawning grew in frequency. Hawkeye suggested she get some sleep before her watch and the Warden reluctantly agreed.

As Elissa walked off for her tent with a yawn, the Seer wondered if the conversation also served another purpose for the Warden. The hints were subtle but while Elissa wasn’t normally one to shy away from macabre topics, it made her think: did the Warden not want to fall asleep after talking with Wynne about death? Did she fear what may come in her dreams with the darkspawn? Hawkeye smiled under the mask and pondered on the usefulness of the Warden’s humanizing vulnerability between checks through her Eyes.

A few moments passed as she cycled between the three points of view and looked for anything dangerous or out of the ordinary…when she saw Leliana walking towards the campfire from out of her normal field of vision. Hawkeye casually bowed the head and closed the eyes of the body, feigning a sigh of tiredness to subtly hide the silver eyes. At the opportunity, Leliana’s movement quickened but stayed quiet as she sat across from the body with an easy smile and intent to surprise.

It was almost too cute.

Hawkeye bit back a smile. She willed the body not to show outward signs as she continued to watch through the Eye and considered the bard with the interesting relationship progression.

From viewing her situation as a Modern Character in Thedas trope, the typical assumption was that she would get along most with the “chosen Hero” of the game they dropped in as they were the “hero” of the story. It was logical for many fanfictions that she read in the past, as authors often showcased their hero and the development between the two, usually leading to romance or an unbreakable friendship.

But what fanciful story was there when it _wasn’t_ a fanfiction?

Who was the main character when it _wasn’t_ a video game?

While Hawkeye still worked to ensure that Elissa would become the Hero of Ferelden, she was fully aware that there was no obligation or force that would make the two individuals become close, much less become the best of friends. A working respect between allies formed and a friendship _may_ be built between them down the line…but if she was honest, she found it much easier to get along with Leliana.

The beginning of that was…unexpected as it started with a half-true moment of vulnerability during the first night away from Alder and Dahlia. Hawkeye found it hard to sleep with the mild discomfort and as she saw the perfect opportunity to get close to Leliana, she hit two birds with one stone by asking the bard for stories.

Leliana smiled in response and gladly obliged. She told the Seer of legends from Ferelden and heroes of old as they prevailed in past Blights. She sang of adventures grounded both in truth and fantasy with her melodious voice as enthralling as it was comforting.

By the end of the night, Hawkeye was thankful as she found peace in an easy sleep.

Since then, the pair had their moments of conversing through the mental connection and exchanged a story or two during their trek through the forest. This didn’t make them fast friends or even remotely close, but the awkward social barrier broke down and made it easier to talk to the bard.

So, if the day proved to be a day of social interaction, she could live with closing it off in Leliana’s company.

Hawkeye shifted back to the view by the campfire for the third time and wasn’t surprised to find Leliana across from her with a smile on her lips, patiently waiting for Hawkeye to acknowledge her.

“I saw what you were doing back there,” Leliana said in her sing-song tone.

Hawkeye smiled as she crossed the arms. “Oh?”

“She is curious about you,” she said as she sat down across from the Seer then offered a friendly smile. “We all are.”

“I suppose there’s much to be curious about with a mysterious person who can see all now, isn’t there?”

“Certainly. Yet you avoid questions and share very little of yourself.”

So she noticed. Hawkeye made a note to be careful around the bard as well.

“Only because the mystery is ruined once all is revealed.”

“I don’t think that’s true,” Leliana said with a shake of her head. “I think your knowledge is both frightening and wonderful, but you cannot share all for fear of the worst coming to pass. So instead, you strive for the best future through your actions and what hints you _can_ provide. It is difficult, but no less noble.”

Hawkeye genuinely laughed at the bard’s optimistic view. “What a romantic idea.”

“It’s true,” Leliana insisted gently. “You are a good person. I believe that.”

Hawkeye wanted to scoff at the borderline delusion she created, but somehow couldn’t find it in herself to correct her if Leliana found comfort in the thought. After all, the alternative would be to believe that Hawkeye could be a danger and she would rather not become Leliana's enemy with her many roles down the line.

“Then you may believe what you will, Leliana.”

The bard only gave a smile before an easy silence fell between them.

Hawkeye sighed tiredly as the weight of the day sank into the body and reminded her of her humanity. It had been a long day with much more interaction than she expected. She needed rest, but her mind wouldn’t quiet yet with all she had to do.

This meant she had one recourse.

Eyes glanced across to Leliana and she leaned back on a tree to get comfortable.

“Speaking of romance…” Hawkeye said easily and softly, but the sound carried well. “Would you have any tales to tell? Not necessarily a love story, but perhaps one from Orlais?”

Leliana subtly perked up. “Then let me tell you about Aveline, the Knight of Orlais.”

Hawkeye settled herself in and closed the eyes to find peace in the bard’s voice.

“Please do.”

“A long time ago, a girl child was born to a farmer…”

* * *

_“Do you remember the days spent with stories?”_

_“Would you like me to share one this time?”_

Time passed by with repetitive cycles of trekking through the forest, living off the land and fighting off any hostile enemies encountered. With her shift in priorities and applying effort in interacting until they reached the Dalish camp, Hawkeye made the most progress with Leliana, and surprisingly, Sten when the Qunari’s watch schedule was back to back with her own.

Though most of the watch was spent in silence, it wasn’t an awkward one and Hawkeye gathered that he appreciated at least _one_ person who didn’t try to force him into unwanted conversation. With the progress, it would only be a matter of time before he initiated the conversation on her purpose. That would be an interesting talk to have.

Now, they were a few hours away from the estimated location Alder specified and Hawkeye sent the Eye out to scout around the area. It weaved through trees and forest scenery that felt repetitive at this point in their journey, but thankfully, it didn’t take long before she saw them – a few men and women scattered through a part of the wood in ornate but sturdy armor, armed with weapons and with the iconic facial markings.

Silver eyes shifted back to its amber hue before she jumped down from her perch and landed in front of her companions who waited for the report.

“There are Dalish hunter patrols nearby so their main camp should be close.”

“Our destination’s finally around the corner then.” Elissa smiled at Hawkeye. “I think we’ve been kept in suspense for long enough. What are we to expect, Hawkeye?”

Hawkeye smiled through the eyes. “I thought you’d never ask. Though do note that some information will be kept from you.” A hand gestured as she teased. “I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise.”

“They won’t be the pleasant kind, will they?” Alistair said wryly. “You know, for once, it’d be nice to stroll in and be welcomed with gifts. Perhaps even a feast, and a waiting army.”

“As nice as the thought is, I promise no such thing.” Amusement danced in the eyes before she appeared thoughtful. “First, for what you’ll encounter at camp…”

Hawkeye went on to narrate events they’d face in broad strokes, careful to leave out the truth about Zathrian but warning them to be wary of him. She detailed the side quests that would aid in building rapport with the Dalish and took care to highlight the importance of the Ironbark and rescue efforts, with suggestions on how to proceed in a way that would shorten their time in the Brecilian Forest. Though it took them a good amount of time to get there, she would like nothing more than to get out as soon as possible.

She told of encountering magic in rituals and enchanted beasts, piquing Morrigan’s interest and Wynne and Alistair’s worry. She hinted at puzzles they’d encounter, assuring that she would guide them through it to get the best rewards. And finally, she warned of a tough battle ahead where their foe would change depending on their decisions, but Elissa didn’t appear deterred.

On the contrary…she only looked more determined and it made the Seer secretly smile in approval.

“If all goes well, you’ll have the support you want,” Hawkeye said as she finished her narration. “What form it takes will depend on the choices you make…” Her gaze shifted to Elissa. “But I trust you’ll make the right decision.”

Elissa gave her a smile. “I only hope we live up to your lofty expectations then.” Then she looked to the rest of the group and gestured them closer. “So, with this new information, I’d like to discuss a few things before we proceed.”

Hawkeye graciously stepped back as the Warden took over the discussion and went over plans for how to proceed and reminders for those who needed them. Sten listened patiently and contributed when it suited him. Alistair, Morrigan and Leliana gave Elissa their full attention and were the most vocal in the discussion, though the quips and arguments varied in usefulness. Wynne scratched behind Dog’s ears as she listened but seemed more distracted.

She waited for them to be deeper in the discussion before she glanced to her guard as he hung back at the edge of the group.

‘Zevran.’

He met her gaze with a charming smile and no signs of surprise.

‘Would you be willing to help me with a few plans of my own?’

His expression stayed the same, but the mental tone purred in cunning amusement.

‘What did you have in mind?’

Hawkeye smiled underneath the mask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally finished this chapter an hour before posting that I don't have the brain cells to give much commentary.
> 
> I'll at least say that this will be the last of the more socialization heavy chapters for a while and I'm glad that I showcased so much of what happens with Hawkeye when she's on her own and without mom and bro to hide behind for a comfort zone. Ngl though that the amount of dialogue was a _struggle_ because I wanted to showcase how each interaction and relationship was unique, but how Hawkeye had goals in mind with each.
> 
> Backlog is still non-existent so I'm writing out chapter 18 after taking a break for a day. We are _definitely_ back to the main questline then and _so many things_ will happen all at once, so expect things to move a lot faster. Like I'm _hoping_ we get out of the forest in less than 5 chapters, if all goes well maybe. Hopefully. I don't know. LET'S SEE.
> 
> Leave a comment if you have any thoughts on this chapter or any other chapters. Love interacting with you guys and I really want to know what some people think about the story so I know how it's going for you. :3
> 
> Target date for next chapter is March 15, 2021.


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